The Light in the Upstairs Window
by D. M. Evans
Summary: When Winry goes along on an investigation, things become complicated
1. Chapter 1

The Light in the Upstairs Window

By D.M. Evans

Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al and funimition. I don't make a profit, heck I probably lose money taking away time I should have been working.

Rating - FRT

Time line - Sort of goes AR during "Words of Farewell" (so certain characters don't die), probably several months after Winry repairs Ed's arm after Scar got to it

Pairing - Ed/Winry

Summary - When Winry goes along on an investigation, things become complicated

Author's Note – Thanks to Silvrethorn for the beta Written as a holiday present. Happy Yule Evil Little Dog

Chapter One

It was easy to get lost in Central. She was a simple country girl. Well, maybe not so simple. When she was home, Winry found herself missing the culture the city offered, the great shops and the neat things to see, as if she were somehow ingrained with them and needed them, in spite of the fact she could actually count on one hand all her trips to the big city. When she was in the city, she missed home, all the green grass and open fields. She missed her grandmother and her dog and the comforting smells of her shop. Maybe that was the price she paid for being their friend, for following them and checking up on them; this sense of dislocation. Still, it was worth it.

Winry didn't want to leave the warm cocoon of her sheets but she wanted to get an early start on the day. Besides, she'd feel guilty if she imposed on the Hugheses for breakfast as well as a place to stay. She told Gracia she was going to go cook for the boys, even if she wasn't a hundred percent sure the barracks had a kitchenette.

Winry belted her coat on tighter as she headed into the winter wind. Ed didn't even know she was around unless Al had told him last night. She had been met by Gracia and Elicia at the train station. When Gracia brought her home, Colonel Mustang had been at their house talking to Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. She couldn't quite remember what Mustang had said to Hughes about Al the night before but the upshot was Al was far more mature than his older brother. While she wasn't sure that was true, she could just imagine Ed's reaction if he had heard it. He would have had one of those screaming fits that did seem to make Al look more mature. Still, Ed was so cute when he did that. His pale skin flushed and the gold of his eyes deepened. Of course, his mouth was an open sewer with the language that spilled out of it. If his mother could only hear her very little boy now.

Hughes' directions to the Elric's on-base housing were dead on and she easily found the enormous place. Al was outside feeding a kitten. She could have sworn he was smiling as he stroked the little furry creature.

"Morning, Al."

"You're up early, Winry. Don't tell Ed. He says I can't keep cats," Al said as the kitten decided to play attack his hand.

"Your brother is no fun sometimes, Al. Your secret is safe with me. Why don't you bring it in for some milk? You guys have a communal kitchenette, don't you?" Winry asked, thinking she remembered seeing one. After all, hungry soldiers needed some place to go snack when the mess hall was closed.

Al nodded.

"I'll go start Ed some breakfast."

As Winry headed inside, she heard an upstairs window fly open and Ed screaming to Al to quit playing with the kitten. Hearing Al clanging along behind her, she assumed he was doing the smart thing and ignoring his bratty older brother.

She didn't mind so much making breakfast even if she was the guest in town. She'd need to make a lot because the Full Metal Alchemist was apparently a bottomless pit. Unfortunately this wasn't home where Gallia, two doors down, gave them all the eggs they could possibly want and she had tubs of Nellie's sweet butter. Still, Ed had a wealthy enough stipend from the state that she needn't worry and she looted the little ice chest. She quickly started scrambling eggs with some exotic cheese she'd never heard of when Ed stumbled in.

"Al, you can't keep ..." he froze, his eyes widening.

Winry guessed Al hadn't had a chance to tell Ed she had arrived late last night while Ed was at the library embroiled in his studies. Al had probably fallen asleep before Ed got home or whatever soul bound armor actually did instead of truly sleeping. Or, more likely, Ed had passed out exhausted the moment he came home.

Ed had apparently been in a rush to get downstairs and make sure his brother didn't bring in the stray. He was still wearing only the ratty boxers he apparently slept in. Their ragged hem brushed just at the level of the scars around the juncture of his automail leg. His blond hair wasn't braided back and was doing a good imitation of a rat's nest.

"Winry! What are you doing here?" Ed flushed, trying to smooth the hay pile on his head.

She wasn't sure if the crimson on his cheeks was because he was mostly naked in front of a girl or if it was because he was ashamed of his ruined body. Winry had known a lot of people needing prosthetics felt that way, but this was Ed. She'd know him forever. She'd seen him in swim trunks every bit as revealing as his boxers but in that moment Winry understood; they were no longer kids that had grown up rough and tumble together. She wasn't seeing Ed as a boy but as the cute young man he was becoming. Somewhere along the lines, things had changed. Maybe he should have shown better sense and dressed before running through the barracks to harass his brother.

"Didn't Al tell you? I got in last night. Colonel Mustang called me saying you needed attention," Winry said, dumping eggs into the sizzling pan.

"Al!" Ed bellowed, trying to hurriedly braid up his hair without success. "I don't need any help, Winry. I'm fine."

"Mustang said you've been limping the last two times he's seen you." Winry's eyes were drawn to the inside of Ed's real leg, not out of any sensual curiosity but with the practiced eye of someone who worked with patients. Bruises dotted his knee and ankle from the automail banging into it in his sleep. At least with the automail there'd be no chafing and sores at the ends of the stumps.

Ed turned away when he caught her looking. "I'm not limping."

"Yes, you are, brother," Al said, splashing milk into a saucer for the kitten.

"It's not a bad thing, Ed. It probably just means you're growing and one leg is longer than the other," Winry said brightly then tried to swallow her grin. "Or in your case, maybe you're getting shorter."

Ed's skin went scarlet and his pupils dilated. His body quivered a bit just before the eruption. "Who are you calling a little good for nothing pipsqueak, you scrap metal tinkerer?"

"Ed, maybe you shouldn't stamp your feel like that. It makes your boxers gape," Al fretted as the gray tabby lapped up her treat.

Winry thought Ed was going to die on the spot. He turned an even darker shade of red then fled upstairs, towards his room with a strangled cry. She laughed. "Don't take too long, Ed, or your breakfast will get cold," she called after him then turned to Al as she started dishing out breakfast for herself. "How he doesn't drive you insane, Al, I'll never know."

"He's not so bad." Al sat down on the floor with the kitten, leaving the little table for Winry and Ed. "Except when he's yelling at the Colonel or at anyone he thinks is looking at him sideways or calls him short." Al looked as contrite as a suit of armor could. "Or when he's sleeping with his stomach out like he doesn't care he could catch cold."

"Ed's lucky to have a brother like you watching out for him." Winry bit her bottom lip trying to keep from shedding the tears that suddenly sprung into her eyes. Poor sweet Al. He always did have such a big heart. Ed did as well; only he played shell games with his heart under the angry little carapace he had made for himself. Ed had less reason than Al to be bitter. Ed's rage came from his sense of guilt over what happened, Winry knew that much. At least Ed could go and do things that Al couldn't, like eat, grow, have a girlfriend. Only Ed wouldn't have that last thing, not until Al could. Something told her that much and yet that only made her want to try all the more. Maybe it wasn't Central that made her feel lost. Maybe it was Ed.

Ed wasn't sure why having Winry in the dorm made him so uneasy. He told himself it was because of his lifestyle. Just look at his bedroom. One neatly made bed, Al's, and one torn up bed, his, a couch and a table with books scattered all over it were all they had to their names. It was barely possible to tell anyone even lived in the unadorned little room. The life of a State Alchemist was a very dangerous one, always on the road, no ties to anything. Al had said once that understanding this reality, Ed should be less hard on their dad. Ed knew his brother had a point but he didn't feel so kindly about it. He wasn't ready to forgive the bastard.

It had been distressing, not having their dad around. It hurt more that when they needed him the most, he was nowhere to be found. Al suggested that maybe their father was dead, too, since no one knew where he was, in spite of Mustang and others looking for him. Al seemed almost content with that scenario. Maybe it hurt less than thinking their dad didn't care.

Whatever it was, Ed decided he didn't give a damn. All he knew was he wasn't going to turn out like their father. He wasn't going to leave a wife and kids behind while he roamed the land doing the State's business. Not that he was even thinking about that because girls weren't in the equations that filled his mind. Al came first. Maybe once he and his brother were fixed he could quit the military and then he'd have time for girls.

The problem was Winry dredged up those feeling he wanted buried. It didn't help that he could remember him and Al both doing things to get Winry's attention growing up. Did Al still think of her like that? What did Winry think of them? As brothers? As something more? He couldn't allow himself to even think of Winry as something more than a sister until Al was flesh again and had his fair chance with her.

He sat on the edge of the bed and started pulling on his pants. Ed paused, skimming a thumb over the bruises. Winry had seen them, to his chagrin. Of course she had seen them before. She was his mechanic, after all. It was somehow different this time. Maybe because there was nothing clinical about her seeing him in his kitchen. He picked at the callous on the inside of his knee where it rubbed against the automail in his sleep. He usually tried to sleep on his back to keep down the bruises and sores from the pressure of his prosthesis but when the nightmares came he was all over the bed.

That was the other dangerous thing about Winry. It was easy to ignore other girls. Who would want a boyfriend who was only half a man? Would other girls be repulsed by what was left of him? It was easier to live life not thinking about how they'd react to him, less complicated that way. He just put girls out of mind, suspecting he wouldn't measure up anyhow.

Winry, on the other hand, didn't care about that. Half his body was her art. She had crafted him with her own talented hands and loved every gear and electrical hook up, every piece of sleek cool metal. To her, he was beautiful as he was. Ed suspected she honestly didn't want him to get his natural limbs back. She was that enamored of his metal parts.

Ed traced the white rough line of scars on his thigh, trying not to think about how he ended up this way. He finished pulling on his shorts – since Winry would want to work on him – and then his pants, flushing a bit as the realization that Winry had seen him naked in the past. Maybe it didn't count since he'd been hemorrhaging his life away at the time. It was sort of like the only time he had seen a naked woman was when he delivered Elicia and the less thought about that the better. It still made him shudder and be thankful he was male.

Ed choked back a laugh as he recalled another time of him being nude in front of Winry. He'd been fighting with Al when they were little kids swimming down at the pond. Al managed to accidentally pants him. Winry had laughed and innocently wondered at the differences between boys and girls. He told her there were no differences and hers had broken off in an accident back when she was really little. She had cried for hours. Was it wrong to still be mildly amused by it?

After finishing dressing, Ed took a brush to his snarled hair and fought the thick gold locks into his signature braid. He was very happy the military didn't enforce regulation hairstyles. As Ed thumped back to the communal kitchenette, he thought maybe Mustang was right and he was a little off balance. Why hadn't he noticed? Probably because it wasn't enough that his pants seemed too short, damn it. Even Winry was bigger than him now. He'd have to hang out with Granny Pinako just to look tall. He could be a drink stand for Major Armstrong, short as he was. Ed stamped the rest of the way down the stairs, mad at himself for thinking it.

Winry looked up with a smile as he sat down. Ed tucked into breakfast without a word since it smelled so good. Savory eggs excited his taste buds just in time for the hot sauce mixed into the scramble to kick his tongue.

"Mmm, Granny's special hot sauce," he purred before taking another enormous bite.

"I remembered that you loved it and brought you a little bottle. I figured you might want something to pick up the mess hall food," Winry said, brightly

"You're the best, Winry." Ed shoveled more food in then cast a longing eye at the cast iron pan on the little stove top.

Winry shook her head and dished out the extra eggs. "I don't know where you put it, Ed. I know that leg isn't hollow."

Ed gave her a baleful look but his mouth was too full for one of his usual outbursts. Besides she had a heavy pan in hand and probably wouldn't hesitate to deck him.

"Eat up, Ed. You ready to get started on the measurements?" Winry finished her breakfast.

"Depends. You gonna forget some of my screws again?" Ed asked, having finally figured out why she had been so upset that time after Lab Five. He hadn't noticed the missing screw until she had fixed him right and he saw the restored symmetry of the screw pattern.

Winry's lips thinned. "Want to lost more limbs?"

"Brother!" Al cut into the response forming on Ed's lips then turned to Winry. "What else do you have planned for your trip, Winry?"

"Outside of taking care of your rude brother, I thought I'd get in some more shopping. Maybe get Granny some good tobacco for her birthday, which you boys should at least send her a note for. She gets so disappointed when she doesn't hear from you," Winry said, thinking Granny wasn't the only one.

"Sorry," Al said, cradling the kitten. "We'll try to do better."

Ed knew they wouldn't. This was why they were better off alone. They had so many demands on their time that months rolled by without them even noticing. Winry deserved better.

"It's okay, Al," Winry said, going to wash the few dishes she had dirtied.

Ed allowed himself a moment of domestic fantasy, seeing her taking care of him. What would life had been like if their mother hadn't died and he and Al had stayed in Rizenbool? It was rather frightening because he couldn't remember his childhood dreams of what he wanted to grow up to be. Winry would still be an automail expert. He'd probably still be an alchemist but without the resources he had as a state alchemist. Would he be able to give it all up later - as much as he disliked being a dog of the military - once he was healed? Could he give up the amplifying watch and the wonderful library and his money? Do 'rich' men willingly become poor? He shuddered, suddenly cold.

"Brother?" Al's voice carried worry with it.

Ed shook his head, ticked that he was so transparent. "Yeah, Al?"

"You okay?"

"Just not looking forward to this, no offense, Winry." Ed got up and took his plate and utensils to the sink.

Winry took them with soapy hands. "Wuss."

"Sadist."

Al just sighed as if despairing that Ed would ever learn manners, and headed outside with his kitten.

"Did you encourage Al to bring that kitten in here?" Ed scowled, watching Winry work.

"Al deserves things that make him happy. Everyone does," she replied, rinsing her hands.

"We're not here enough to have a pet, Winry. Al knows that," Ed said, trying to hide that her words stung. Did she think he didn't want his brother to be happy?

"And does it hurt to show a stray kindness when you are here?" she shot back.

An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them like thick taffy. She knew Ed wanted to argue. Ed knew she had a valid point.

"So where do you want to do this so I can get started?" Winry asked to break the quiet.

"Probably be best if I stretched out on the couch or something." Ed looked at her then at the ceiling as if pondering what rights he had to take visitors upstairs but Winry didn't have a workshop to offer up. Hughes and Mustang hadn't told her yet where she'd be working. "I'll go get Al."

The presence of Al seemed to give legitimacy to their being upstairs and Winry knew they were both being silly. She was here to fix up Ed, nothing more. She looked around the brother's depressing room with its ugly green couch and funky, stale boy smell. In spite of the cold, they needed to open a window or burn a candle or something or maybe just do some laundry.

"Actually Ed, it'll be easier for me to get around if you're lying on the bed. Al, you take down his measurements as I give them to you. We'll hold them for ransom later." Winry smirked.

"Who are you calling so puny he'd give a king's ransom so no one would know just how tall he is?" Ed barked.

Winry pushed him down on his bed. "Get your boots off. Who know how many inches you're trying to add there."

She got another baleful look as Ed obeyed. Al's bed creaked as he sat on it, tablet in hand. Winry took her measuring tape out of her pocket. "Bridge your back first then lay flat then pull your knees to your chest."

When Ed complied, she leaned on his legs, feeling his hip muscles relaxing and shifting, which would let her get his true leg length. Ed was likely to be the tense type, which would throw off the reading.

A sharp rap sounded on the door and it opened before anyone could move. Mustang came in and somehow Winry felt very foolish and naughty laying on Ed like she was, his metal knee between her breasts. Ed turned so red hot he could have caught the bedding on fire. He struggled under her.

"You sit up and tense your hip flexors, Ed, and I'll have Al sit on you!" she warned, getting off him. She grabbed Ed's ankles and pulled his legs straight.

"I think he's fidgeting," Mustang said, leaning on the door frame. He looked amused.

"He's always fidgeting," Winry replied as she started to measure. Having Mustang there was actually easier on her. She could be an expert taking care of a patient instead of a girl touching the inside of Ed's thigh. Having Al around hadn't been quite the relief she had been hoping for.

"What do you want, Mustang?" Ed rumbled and Winry thought she heard Al sigh in frustration.

"You're my responsibility, Fullmetal. I just want to be sure that there's nothing seriously wrong with you," Mustang replied as Winry called out a measurement for the left leg. Ed gave her a plaintive look, as if how little his legs were would come as a surprise to his commanding officer.

"I'm fine," Ed said and Winry gave Al the other measurement.

"So how much did he shrink, Miss Rockbell?" Mustang smirked.

"About a half inch." She smiled back.

Ed's outburst was so high pitched and garbled it would have confused bats. Winry concentrated on avoiding his flailing limbs.

"Ed, if you hit me, I'll take both limbs and Al can cart you around until I'm done making adjustments," Winry said sternly and Ed flopped back on the bed melodramatically.

"You better listen to her, Brother," Al said.

"Has he always been like this, Miss Rockbell?" Mustang asked, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Always," she said, crossing her arms so that she was hugging her shoulders, indicating for Ed to do the same.

Ed did then held out his arms, shoulders now loosened, so she could measure them. "You're not funny. Is that all you wanted, Colonel?"

"Actually I wanted to ask Miss Rockbell when she anticipated completing your repairs. I have a job for you," Mustang said.

"Oh, no more than a day," Winry said. "But Mr. Hughes hasn't shown me where I'll be working yet."

"We'll remedy that immediately," Mustang assured her.

"What's our assignment now?" Ed sounded dejected.

"You're heading for Waukrio, a mountain town," Mustang replied.

"It's winter and you're sending us into the mountains? Thanks for nothing," Ed grumbled as Winry's fingers dug into his torso, testing the edges of the automail's anchor.

Mustang's lips skinned back. "Some people would consider that a treat. Besides, there are rumors of a machine being used to process people."

"They're trying to make a philosopher stone," Ed gasped, feeling sick and exhilarated at the same time.

"That's what you, Alphonse and Miss Rockbell are going to find out. Miss Rockbell, we'd like to use your mechanical expertise if you're willing." Roy said very solicitously.

Winry's eyes lit up at the prospect of a new machine to mess with. "Of course."

"No, Winry!" Ed protested, his face going pale. "You don't have the military's leash around your neck. You don't have to do this and he has no right to ask you." He jerked a thumb at Mustang.

"But if I can help, why shouldn't I?" Winry asked, already knowing Ed's answer. When would he learn she wasn't some delicate flower?

"Because it's dangerous. They're killing people. You're not going," Ed said, his eyes hot as molten gold. "And that's final."

"How dare you make decisions for me, Edward Elric?" Winry felt the heat rising off her face.

"Yes, Fullmetal, you're acting like an overprotective boyfriend." Mustang smiled slyly.

Ed went as red as the stone he coveted. Al leapt in with a 'We just don't want anything to happen to Winry," before his brother could say something he might regret.

"Nor do I. I trust two alchemists can keep her safe and I imagine Miss Rockbell is very capable in her own right. Fullmetal's correct. I can't order you to go, Miss Rockbell, nor can he forbid you to do anything. The choice is yours," Roy said, sounding very slippery to Ed.

"Then I chose to go," Winry said, surprising no one.

"Thank you. Come along. I'll show you to your workshop," Mustang said.

"I have to stop by the Hugheses to get Ed's replacement limb," Winry said. "Or Al really will be carrying him around."

Mustang nodded. "Yes, of course. I'm certain Alphonse has better things to do than to cart his brother around like a sack of flour all day."

"That's not funny." Ed got up off the bed and made a sad attempt to make it.

"No, it's really not. My apologies,' Roy said contritely, heading downstairs.

"This is a mistake, Winry," Ed hissed as they followed the colonel.

"It's mine to make," she replied stubbornly.

"Brother has a point, Winry. Our missions are usually dangerous," Al said as he brought up the rear.

"I know that, Al, but you could use my help with this machine. How much mechanics do either of you know?"

"Enough to get by without risking you," Ed insisted, his eyes still smoldering.

And she knew he was more than capable of stopping a machine with his alchemy but what frightened her was that if she didn't go Ed would be tempted to use the machine. "You're not going to scare me, Ed. Rockbells don't frighten easily. It's probably what got my parents killed," she said, regret edging into her tone.

Mustang stumbled a bit, his body tensing. He shook whatever it was off, leaving the teens exchanging glances. Winry almost thought she saw something bad in Ed's eyes but he looked away. Suddenly she was afraid to ask about it.

They retrieved Ed's replacement leg and Mustang showed her to her workshop. He had a cot provided for Ed and Winry was grateful for the consideration.

"Have a seat, Ed. I'm sorry but we didn't have any spare automail legs. You'll have to use a regular prosthesis," Winry said, apologetically.

Ed shrugged as he sat down. "I'll manage." He stared to remove his boot then paused, looking up at Mustang. She could see he didn't want to show any weakness in front of the older man.

"I have work to get to. If you need anything, Miss Rockbell, just send word," Mustang said.

"Thanks," she said and Mustang took his leave.

Ed kicked off his boots and skinned out of his pants. He laid back on the cot, feeling vulnerable in his shorts. He braced himself. Disengaging the automail hurt, not as much as hooking it up but enough. Winry's practiced fingers had the leg off fast. Pain radiated like fire along his nerves, making a sweat pop out all over his body. His testicles tightened and his stomach clenched. He took a deep rasping breath trying to calm himself while the pain dispersed. Al and Winry were quiet, letting him rest and recover. He almost wished that they'd talk and take his mind off the burning in his thigh. Besides, it was surreal watching Winry working with his leg like it was just a thing instead of a part of him. He couldn't quite divorce his mind from thinking that was a piece of him lying on the work bench.

Ed let his eyes close as the pain slowly faded into a minor thrum and then into an annoying buzzing itch. When he opened his eyes again, Al was quietly chatting to Winry and Ed's leg was already in parts. He sat up slowly, feeling unbalanced. His buttocks tightened, trying to stabilize him. Ed rubbed the stump of his leg but it only made the pins and needles feeling intensify. "I need to go talk to Mustang."

"Talk all you want, Ed. I'm still going," Winry said, not looking back at him.

"Winry, this is insane," Ed said, feeling his muscles twitch along his thigh as the confused nerves tried to move a part of him that was missing. He could feel both of his missing limbs, always aware of pains and itches that couldn't exist. There was no telling his brain that. Sometimes he'd wake up feeling like his arm or his leg was being shredded, the pain so real he had to fight the accompanying nausea so he wouldn't puke. Right now his brain was convinced he could wiggle toes that didn't exist. "You're not going."

Winry sighed, turning around wrench in hand. "Why are you so argumentative?"

Ed tensed, wondering if he needed to shield his head. "Me? You're the one doing all the arguing, isn't she, Al?"

"Are you telling me you and Al aren't good enough to keep me safe?" Winry asked before Al could respond.

Ed dug his fingers into his leg. He hated arguing with Winry but he couldn't seem to stop himself. "It's not that. No one on a mission like this can be entirely safe."

"That's true of anywhere, Ed. Do you remember Ani back home? Someone killed her after doing terrible things to her, in her own house. No one is ever entirely safe, Edward," Winry replied, setting aside her wrench. She picked up the above knee prosthesis and came over to Ed's cot.

"That's not the point," Ed said as she knelt between his legs.

"I think Winry knows the point, Brother," Al said, sounding resigned to the fact that Winry wasn't going to be discouraged.

Ed sighed, knowing he was lost but he was still going to try and side step all of this. He tensed feeling Winry's warm fingers on his skin. He quieted and watched her strap on the harness that would hold this lifeless replacement leg on.

"Sorry, Ed. This is going to be really hard for you to adjust to," she apologized, tightening the straps.

"It's okay. It's just for a day. I can handle it. I'm glad you came here to help out, Winry." Ed put a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Winry smiled, getting to her feet. She gave his braid a playful yank. "And I appreciate it, Ed, but together we're a pretty good team. Just wait and see."

"I guess I have no choice." Ed waited for her to go back to work before trying to get up. He took a step, couldn't judge where the prosthetic foot was and fell. The harness cut into his thigh as he managed to catch himself before he landed on his face.

"Brother!" Al lumbered toward him.

"Ed, I told you this leg takes some getting used to," Winry said, worriedly. "Automail hooks into your nervous system but this leg doesn't. It requires muscle strength alone to lift it and move it forward. It takes practice, so go slow."

"I'm just not used to it but I'll be fine," Ed said as his brother put a steadying hand on his back. He wished he was sure of that. "Thanks, Al."

"Well, at least if you landed on your head, there's not much damage to be done." Winry tossed her long hair back.

"Oh, you're funny," Ed said, taking a smaller step this time, holding on to Al's arm. "We'll leave you to your work, Winry. It's kind of creepy looking at my leg just lying there."

"Creepy?" Winry looked offended.

"Maybe because it's mine," Ed added hurriedly. He didn't want her to get upset with him.

Winry just bobbed her head and went back to work. The brothers headed out into the city.

"Brother, maybe you should just go home and rest. We have a lot of books to go through," Al fretted as Ed hobbled slowly along, barely able to move the unfamiliar limb. "That leg is hard on you."

Ed nodded. It was hard. He was so accustomed to not even having to think about it. He just walked normally. Now he had to shift his hips and flick his thigh to move the prosthetic leg. Each step felt like his leg was going to give out. It was tiring. How people chose these things over automail he'd never know. "I have to talk to Mustang then we'll follow your suggestion, Al."

Al didn't say anything. He knew Ed would do whatever Ed wanted to do regardless of anything Al said or common sense might dictate. Ed was going to see Mustang no matter what Al thought about it. Al waited in the anteroom to Mustang's office with Havoc and Hawkeye. Ed regretted this move. He felt helpless and weak in front of everyone as he limped into Mustang's office. The Colonel didn't seem too surprised to see him.

He set aside his paperwork. "What can I do for you, Fullmetal?"

"Uninvite Winry," Ed said, simply.

"No."

Ed wasn't expecting Mustang to be reasonable but he also didn't expect to be monosyllabically dismissed. "You can't let her go. She could get hurt."

"She can be an asset to you," Mustang said, templing his hands on the desk. Ed wasn't used to seeing him bare-handed.

"I don't want to risk her," Ed argued, not sure what the best tactic would be.

"Do you think she would not go now, Edward? She'd be insulted if I told her that we no longer needed her assistance."

"I hate you for asking her," Ed grumbled.

Mustang gave him a most curious look. "Edward, it's time for you to learn you're not an island. You need to learn to accept help and work with others. It can make you stronger."

"I'm fine as is. Me and Al, we can handle things ourselves. It's better that way. You don't get it. I don't need help," Ed said, his face hot. How dare Mustang suggest he couldn't handle things on his own? "This is my burden. I did this to me and my brother. I'm the one who has to fix it, even if it means running into danger looking for that damn stone."

"You don't get it, Fullmetal. You aren't doing it alone. You've had help. You've thrown help back in the faces of those who want very much to see you succeed. Hasn't it ever occurred to you that more minds on a problem can exponentially increase your chances of solving it? I know it's hard to trust people, especially where something as powerful as the philosopher's stone is concerned but I should think you can at least trust a childhood friend," Mustang said and Ed tried to block out those words because they made a sense that he didn't want to hear. What if Mustang was right and he had cost himself and Al years by isolating them from people who could help? He couldn't think about that. "You've come a long way, Fullmetal and you have no idea how far you might yet have to go. Learn to accept a helping hand."

"Did it have to be Winry you chose to teach me this lesson?" Ed moaned, unable to find a way to argue with Mustang.

The subtle haunted look on Mustang's face surprised Ed. "Actually, Edward, yes."

Ed blinked. "I don't understand why."

Mustang got up and put a hand on Ed's shoulder. The boy trembled just a bit, confused by this uncharacteristic familiarity. "You will. You'll keep her safe, Edward. Trust yourself and trust her."

Ed was utterly confused by the whole exchange. It made him uncomfortable. "You're sure?"

Mustang sat back down behind his desk, looking more like his usual self. "Yes."

Ed just wandered back out, not sure what to say. He stumbled right past Al.

"Brother?" Al sounded concerned.

"Can we go home now, Al?" Ed asked softly, feeling suddenly cold.

"Of course, Brother."

Ed wished he only knew what to do. He didn't trust Mustang but he would have to do so now. Ed wished he could shake free of his anxiety but it was as close as skin. All he could do was go home and lose himself in his research.


	2. Train Ride to the Mountains

Chapter Two

"Are you going to pout all the way there?" Winry asked, slumping in her train seat.

"I wish you wouldn't have come." Ed's fingers dug at a loose thread in the worn red velvet seat cover.

"So you've said a dozen times or more in the last hour." Her lips thinned. "I'm tired of it."

Ed sighed heavily, leaning, shoulder to shoulder, against his brother. "Did Mustang give you any hints what we're looking for?"

"No. You've seen things designed to make a Philosopher Stone. What can you tell me?" she was curious about that, naturally.

"I don't know. Most of what Al and I have seen were things to work with red water to turn it into a stone. Mostly all the apparatus was comprised of were some alembic containers of the red water placed on alchemic circles. It would require an alchemist to use what little machinery there is. If Mustang thinks there's enough machinery that I'd need your expertise, Winry, it must be something entirely different," Ed replied, sounding disappointed.

"But we haven't see anything that looks much like a machine in our research, Brother," Al pointed out.

"Maybe it has nothing at all to do with the Philosopher Stone," Winry postulated even though she knew that wouldn't be a popular suggestion.

Ed nodded. "I've thought of that, too. People have died though, so whatever it is, if it's used to kill and process people, it has to be stopped." Ed scowled at her. "That's why I didn't want you to come, Winry. It's too dangerous."

Winry kicked him hard in the shin, catching the nerve precisely. Ed yelped, clamping a hand over the injured area as lightning bolts of pain shot up and down.

"You couldn't kick the other leg?" he moaned.

"I just fixed that leg." She stabbed a finger at him. "You're lucky I didn't kick higher and a little to the right."

Ed considered those coordinates then crossed his legs. He leaned over to Al and said, "Trade me places."

"No," Al said simply, about as tired of his brother's stubbornness and petulance as Winry was.

"Ed, have you forgotten that you and I have already faced one serial killer together? You saved my life that day, even though Barry the Butcher had taken off your arm. And you were a lot younger then. We'll be fine," Winry said, little lines appearing around her mouth as she thought about 'the chopper.'

Ed looked away. "I don't like thinking about that day." He hated it, in fact. He had stabbed his brother blindly. If Al had been flesh, he would have killed him. He had been so frightened that he woke up for months with nightmares. Ed had never thought about what that day had done to poor Winry. He didn't realize he was something of a hero to her.

"Neither do I, but my point is, you saved my life once. I'd trust you with it, always," she said softly.

"Winry has a point, Brother," Al put in.

Ed picked harder at the frayed velvet. "I know and you saved my life, Winry. Without you and Granny, I would have bled to death that night. I never stopped to think how that affected you."

Winry leaned forward, putting a hand on his knee and one on Al's. "It scared me to death. All of our lives changed that night. I nearly lost my two best friends. I've already lost my parents and your mom, too, and I'm not sure I could handle more. I was more frightened that night than I was when the Chopper had me because you were still clinging to life and if Granny and I made a mistake it would have been our fault you died." She held up the hand she had on Ed's knee to shush him then put it back. "I know why you're afraid now, Ed. You think if I die on this trip, it'll be because you didn't do enough to keep me safe. Now you know what I feel like every time you and Al disappear for months. I love you two, but you go off alone and I don't know if I'll never hear from you again."

Ed's eyes misted and he turned his gaze out the window.

"Sorry, Winry," Al said and Ed bobbed his head, not trusting his voice.

"We didn't mean to make you feel like this," Ed finally added, burying a finger in the hole he had worried into the velvet.

Winry sat back. "I know you didn't but now maybe you understand a little better. It won't kill you to drop a letter in the mail, Edward. I know you think if you don't let anyone close to you, there'll be no one you have to worry about letting down. You don't have to think about the fact that you're worrying them sick with the danger you're in. Well, it's too late for that. I will always be in the window, waiting for you two to come home."

Ed's lip trembled as he kept looking out the window. He felt Al's hand on his arm, knowing his brother could see him trying hard not to cry. "I don't know what to say," he said his voice cracking with emotion.

"You don't need to say a word, Ed. I just needed you to know that," Winry said, digging into her bag. She needed to get out her work so she would have a distraction from her train of thought. She took out her tatting shuttles and some multicolored threads and set her hands to working. Winry didn't like to leave her hands just sitting around doing nothing. It kept them nimble for working automail when she did other things, like tatting lace for her friends. She even used metal 'threads' to make some elaborate pieces. So long as her fingers were busy, she was happy. She could talk to the brothers or more likely change seats with Ed so he could stretch out and sleep, being the scintillating conversationalist that he was. So long as her fingers were busy, she wouldn't be tempted to wrap them around Ed's throat if he complained one more time about her coming along.

Keeping her seat since Edward was out cold reclining on his brother, Winry caught Al up on some of the things happening in Rizenbool. He had asked, probably out of sheer politeness. She wondered if he remembered any of the people she was talking about or was just trying to force memories that weren't there. She felt deep down that Al was really in that armor. She knew, of course, that he had been a real boy, no matter what trauma Al had suffered to make him think otherwise. It was frightening to think of him as only memories made up by Ed but even that wouldn't explain the holes in Al's memories. Ed knew the people Al couldn't remember. No, it was probably just the trauma of the whole process and not to mention Al had only been ten at the time. How much did anyone remember from when they were really young?

"What are you making, Winry?" Al asked.

"Earrings." She held one of the tiny lace snowflakes to her ear. "What do you think?"

"They're nice."

"I'm getting a jump on the holidays this year," she said then nodded at Ed who was slumped against Al, fast asleep. "How does he do that?"

"Brother can sleep just about anywhere," Al replied, glancing down at Ed.

"I think he's drooling on you." Winry laughed.

"Ewww, Brother. Wake up." Al flexed his arm and Ed slammed face first into Al's metal chest with a clang.

Ed sat back, holding his injured nose. "Owww, what was that for?"

"Maybe Al doesn't want drooled on, Ed." Winry's blue eyes flicked up from her bag as she exchanged the tatting shuttles for braiding leather. "And it's rude to fall asleep mid-conversation."

"Sorry," Ed said sheepishly as he stretched. "Trying to catch up on my sleep now since who knows when I'll get to do it again."

"I don't think you can squirrel sleep away like nuts, Ed. Sleeping now won't mean you'll be able to stay up all night tomorrow," Winry said, pulling strands of leather tight.

"Says you." Ed got up and headed off, presumably either after the lavatory car or hunting down the snack cart.

"Quick, Al, does Ed have any women he works with?"

Al was silent for a moment. "I guess Scieska or First Lieutenant Hawkeye, or Second Lieutenant Ross, why?"

Winry smirked. "Just play along."

When Ed came back with a snack and drink just for himself – no surprises there. The boy needed to remember he wasn't always the only person around who might be thirsty – he tossed himself down next to his brother.

"So Ed, what's this between you and Scieska?" Winry pouted, slipping on her best 'put out' face.

His pale brow beetled. "What are you talking about?"

"You were talking about her in your sleep, all smiles and giggles." Winry dropped the leather quirt into her lap.

Ed turned pink. "I did not!"

"Ask Al. You really know how to make a girl feel wanted." Winry pouted at him.

"I don't like Scieska. She's as insane as Hughes. I don't know how they work together," Ed said with a sharp shake of his head, his braid whipping.

"I don't know, Brother. You should listen to Winry," Al said, a hint of mirth in his voice.

Ed's eyes widened as he looked at his brother. "I was dreaming about Scieska? What was I saying?"

"Stuff that doesn't belong in mixed company." Winry couldn't contain a smile.

"Really, Brother."

Ed gave them both the gimlet eye. "Don't drag my brother into your web of lies. He's not good at it." Ed tapped her toe with his. "Tormenting me is no fair. I'm sorry I fell asleep, I'm sorry I complained about you coming along but I'm not sorry about being worried about you."

"That's okay. I'm not upset about that. It's nice that you care, Ed," Winry said, flipping the quirt at him. "Not enough to ask if I wanted something to eat or drink."

Ed looked at his cup then flashed her a sheepish look. "Sorry, Winry. Want me to get you something?"

"That's all right." Winry started braiding again. "Why did you find it so hard to believe you might have been talking about a girl in your sleep?"

Ed shrugged. "Don't usually have a lot of time for girls. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about them. You know how it goes."

"Not really. I mean, I'm busy but I do take time to think about boys," Winry replied, trying not to smile at the change that came over Ed's face, something feral and almost possessive. So he did notice her, after all.

"Who?" Ed's voice went sharp and jealous.

"No one you know," she replied, coyly.

"That's not fair," he said.

"Maybe if you wanted to know what's going on in my life, you and your brother would write a letter or something. Or stop in and see Granny. You're like her sons, you know," Winry said then winced. She sounded like she was hectoring them and she didn't want to do that. "Sorry."

"No, you're right, Winry. Ed and I will do better," Al promised.

"Thanks, Al," Winry said then just involved herself in her braiding. Maybe it was just better if she shut up and worked. Ed and Al still didn't look like they wanted to talk much. She remembered what Mr. Hughes had said about the boys needing her but like most men, might not be ready to talk. The trick for her was being there when they were ready. She only hoped she was up to the task.

"Winry, what's that?" Al said, thankfully changing the subject. "That doesn't look like jewelry."

"It'll be a quirt. I was chatting to Ms. Hawkeye about my hobbies and when she found out I braided leather, she asked for the quirt," Winry said.

"Why? It's not like I've ever seen her on a horse," Ed said, his nose wrinkling.

Winry shrugged. "I don't know but Mr. Havoc and Mr. Mustang seemed pleased with it. Given the look on the colonel's face, I decided I didn't want to know."

"Great, now I'm too disturbed to sleep," Ed moaned but he proved that to be a lie.

X X X

"Mr. Elric, sir."

Ed was surprised to see a young woman waiting for them at the station. Her dark brown hair was pulled back, making her look a little younger than he suspected she was. At least her greeting was sedate. The less who knew they were in town, the better. "Yes? Who are you?"

"Dr. Halia Endymion," she replied, surprising him a little. Ed wasn't sure what he was expecting but a doctor wasn't it. "Hughes asked me to meet you." Her hazel eyes flicked around as if afraid they would be overheard. Ed noticed she avoided giving out Hughes' rank and figured he had best do the same. "We can't really talk here." Her eyes settled on Winry uneasily.

"She's Winry Rockbell. Mustang sent her with us," Ed said.

Endymion nodded. "I can show you to your lodgings then we can talk."

Ed and Al helped Winry with her stuff and at this point, she was just as content to let Ed do some heavy lifting to make up for all the complaining he had done. She was just sorry she wasn't the kind of girl to pack heavy. It would serve him right for making her feel so unwelcome. The doctor led them to a house several blocks away from anything resembling the town center. It was at the end of a lonely road, small and ramshackle. The grey clapboards were in want of painting and the windows were hazed with grime.

"Who are you again?" Ed asked suspiciously, his eyes on the desperate little house.

"I know it doesn't look like much but there's a purpose to that." Endymion put a key in the rusty lock and the door creaked open. Inside the dimly lit house, they found that the walls were at least solid and the inside was more or less clean. "The landlady is rather elderly and this is the best she can do. She's guaranteed not to be in your way or in your business. She lives back in town. Hughes said he wanted something out of the way for you, something that would be overlooked."

"He's expecting trouble then," Ed said, his lips pulling into a grim line.

She nodded. "I'm afraid there are only two bedrooms." Enydmion pointed up the slightly dusty stairs. "The beds are hard but the linen is clean. Hughes said the brothers could share."

"Why is a doctor acting as a guide, Doctor Endymion?" Winry studied the woman intently.

"Please, call me Halia. I'm one of the lieutenant colonel's contacts in this region," she replied, casually. "I'm often in a position to know things he can make use of."

"He may seem a little scattered, Winry, but the lieutenant colonel has a whole network of contacts helping him with his investigations," Al said.

"Can we talk safely here?" Ed stowed the luggage in the little living room.

Halia nodded and went over to the hearth. She put a little kindling into the fireplace and started a small fire to take the chill out of the air. "It should be but I would be wary of what I say in town."

"Who don't you trust?" Ed sat on the threadbare couch.

Halia's lips pulled into a crooked smile. "Pretty much all of the politicians but for me, that's a natural distrust. Specifically, I don't trust our alderman, Nicholas Clayworth, the sheriff, Bart Leatherby or the military's attaché here, Lieutenant Tamar Dance."

"What are they doing?" Ed asked, a little surprised to hear three names so readily given.

Halia shook her head. "I don't know for sure. Maybe nothing but I wouldn't bet on it."

"Which of them is the alchemist, doctor?" Al asked.

"None of them and I'm not sure if they're involved. If they are and this is alchemy, then there is someone I don't know about," she admitted with a disturbed look in her eye. "Which is entirely possible."

"So what are they doing that has made you suspicious?" Ed wished she would just get to the point.

"We had a few disappearances several months ago, mostly vagrants so no one thought much about it. Leatherby didn't investigate it much but that was understandable. They wouldn't expend the resources on vagrants." Halia gave her head a disgusted little shake. "Then we found parts of Hutton, the town drunk, just parts and very little of those, just enough to know it was him. Neither Leatherby nor Mayor Clayworth thought it was worth looking into. That didn't really rouse my suspicions since no one thought much of Hutton to start with. But then other people started to disappear, no one prominent but decent people, woodsmen, laborers, people you'd see in the market place." Halia's voice grew more gravelly and annoyed with each passing moment.

"And still no one cared," Winry guessed.

"Oh, they certainly pretended to." Halia laughed bitterly, pacing in front of the fireplace. "But I was subtly told to mind my own business when I pushed for explanations as to what could have done the things I saw done when parts of those people turned up as well. Then more people went missing, including children. Lately when they disappear, nothing of them has resurfaced. Mostly all we see are some token investigative efforts and a lot of blaming of outsiders that no one has ever seen."

"How does any of this relate to people being processed in a machine?" Ed asked, perplexed.

"Zak, a kid I've patched up more times than I can count, used to love to run around in the woods. A few days ago he called me, very frightened, talking about a machine and people being put into it. He was cut off mid-phone call. I don't think they have any idea he was talking to my clinic or I'd already be dead." Halia rubbed her arms nervously.

"Where is this machine?" Ed pressed, an eager glint in his golden eyes.

Halia shook her head. "You know everything that I know now. I'd wager it's out in the forest but I couldn't tell you where. I'd be very careful in town asking questions because attracting attention could mean you'll be the next to disappear. I can point out who you need to avoid the best you can…which won't be easy. They'll want to meet you, being newcomers."

Ed scowled, thinking on all the things he was going to do to Mustang for sending Winry with them. No one was going to chop her into little pieces. "Winry, I think you should get back on the train."

Winry's blue eyes when hotter than Mustang's alchemy. "Ed, you're going to be glad Halia's a doctor if you say that again. You need my help, now more than ever. I have a perfectly legitimate reason for being here, if the sheriff or anyone wants to know. I bet Halia could pretend I'm here to see a patient." Winry turned to the doctor. "I'm an automail expert."

Halia smiled a little in agreement and this encouragement of Winry's involvement irritated Ed. "I have several patients you could be here consulting on."

"Then maybe Winry should stay in town with you so less people associate her with Al and me," Ed suggested, ignoring Winry's hot look.

"That wouldn't be good. I'm not sure my place is safe. Leatherby doesn't like me. I think he believes I know more than I do." Unease was blatant in the doctor's eyes. She was obviously afraid for her life.

"Brother, Winry wants to stay with us," Al ventured, hesitantly. "We can keep her safe but Winry, you might have to be with the doctor at her clinic while we investigate."

"I like leaving her behind even less," Ed said. "But if we don't want people to think you're helping us, that might be necessary." He wanted to tell her to go home again but he knew it was useless. "What else can you do for us, Doc?"

"I've stocked this place with some groceries and I can point out some of Zak's friends. They might know where he was heading and that could at least narrow down your search out in the words," Halia said. "I'd suggest telling anyone who sees you with Winry that you're her cousins and you didn't think it was safe to let her travel alone."

Ed nodded, grateful for the suggestion. "That makes sense."

"We're all really tired from all that traveling," Winry said, honestly. "I'm too tired to cook. Is there an inn or a restaurant in town where we could get something? Yes, I know it's risking being seen but that might be a good thing. Let everyone know I'm here to help Halia out and that you're just here killing time until it's time for me to head back home."

Ed begrudgingly admitted she had a point. He almost wanted to leave Al behind, not to protect him but to attract less attention but he knew from the moment they had stepped onto the platform at the station they had been noticed. In towns this small, everyone would already know there were strangers in town and who had met with them. Rizenbool had taught him that. "Food and bed sound good," he said, though he was less tired than Winry was. Catching naps on trains was a good thing, after all.

"I'll take you to Sabrin's. It's pretty much the nerve center in town. Luckily all her rooms were booked so it won't seem odd that you aren't staying there," Halia said, heading for the front door.

"This town has that many visitors?" Al asked, surprised.

Halia pointed to the snow capped mountains the little house had a nice view of. "People come to hunt and to play in the snow. Can you ski?"

"Tying boards to our feet? That will just give you more work, doctor," Winry said with a laugh. "I've never even seen it done. Rizenbool doesn't have those kind of hills."

"It's dangerous but it is fun. For Ed and Al's sakes, I'd suggest telling everyone their hunters. It gives you an excuse to disappear into the woods. I have a rifle, I'll lend it to you. I know you don't need it but you'll want to keep up appearances. It'll be up to you to decide if you want people to notice that." Halia pointed to the silver chain reaching up for Ed's belt loops.

Ed detached it and stuffed the chain into his pocket. His usual red cape with its symbol had been traded in for a more utilitarian winter coat before he had left the train. "If they know I'm in town, Leatherby and Clayworth will want to meet with me. Let's see if I can get in a day's investigation before I do that. Eventually I'll have to talk to them."

Halia studied him with a practiced eye, taking in his height and breadth of chest. "You look far too young to be a state alchemist. You can't be more than thirteen."

"I'm sixteen," Ed said through gritted teeth.

Halia's hazel eyes opened wide. "Really? But you're so thin through the chest and there are a few other missing developmental markers."

Ed made something like a growling noise, his face flushing.

Al put a hand on his shoulder. "At least she didn't say you were short, Brother."

"Al!" Ed whined, painfully.

"That's a touchy subject for him," Winry explained.

"Sorry." Halia shrugged sheepishly.

She led the way back into town to a large building that was very centrally located. It swarmed with people, still Halia managed to find them a table off in a corner. They probably would have gone almost unnoticed except for Al's sheer size and bizarre appearance. A stunning redhead came over to their table once they were settled in.

"Good evening, Sabrin," Halia said, glancing up at the proprietress.

"I see you have guests, doctor." Sabrin's green eyes took careful stock of the strangers at her table. Ed suspected she was measuring each of them with the practiced eye of someone used to dealing with people.

"Winry Rockbell, an automail expert. She's here consulting with me," Halia said, waving a hand at Winry. "And her cousins, Ed and Al Rockbell."

"Well, welcome to Waukrio. I'll send Vala over to get your orders. I'll get you something to drink. It feels like snow in the air tonight. Would you like some tea?" Sabrin asked.

"That would be nice," Winry said, thinking she could use something warm and sweet. "Thank you."

Ed watched Sabrin head back toward the bar area of her establishment then glanced over at Halia. "This place is busy. She knows everyone's business, doesn't she?"

Halia nodded. "But I'd take care in asking her for any information. She's just as likely to tell anyone who'd want to know that you're interested in those murdered people. Sabrin's a hard worker, started out with very little and she built this place by knowing how to handle people. Still, that's a blade that cuts both ways. Now look over there near the fireplace." Halia nodded to a tall, very broad man that reminded the brothers of Teacher's lover, a thick-looking, almost fat man who in reality was anything but. He was sitting with a petite blonde girl in a familiar blue uniform with second lieutenant insignia. "That's Sheriff Leatherby and Lieutenant Dance."

"It looks like they noticed us," Winry said, uneasily.

"And it's killing them not knowing who we are," Ed added, trying not to look at the couple. Leatherby didn't bother hiding his stare.

"Most definitely. Unless he comes over here, I won't bother introducing you tonight but I would suggest getting as much done as you can tomorrow," Halia said.

Ed nodded then turned his attention to the waitress who arrived at their table. He and Winry decided go for the meat pies, which Halia claimed were the specialty of the house. When the pies arrived, the meat inside the delicate crust was fork-tender and the sauce swimming with onions, herbs and root vegetables. They were so tasty Winry had to fork-stab Ed's metal hand when he tried to sneak some of hers. Sabrin returned just as they were mopping up the last of the gravy with pieces of crusty bread that seemed to be served with every meal they saw around the dining room.

"Did you like it?" Sabrin asked, a bright smile on her pale face.

"Yes, I've never had better," Winry said.

"If she weren't so tired and needing to go home, I'd have another," Ed added with a greedy grin.

"I'm so glad you liked them. You do look tired, though. Halia, you shouldn't keep your guests out so late if they just got into town," Sabrin scolded, lightly.

Halia looked sheepish. "Well, they did need to eat and I said you have the best food in town."

"Always glad to hear that. I'm sorry there was no room for you to stay here. We had a big turn out for the anticipated first snow fall," Sabrin said, waving hand at her crowded dining room.

"That's all right," Al said, glancing at his brother at the mention of snow. He knew it would only complicate things. "We're good but it does look like a very nice place to stay."

"Thank you for saying so." Sabrin grinned. "You must come back when you're more awake. You'll find the best food and talk here. We even have music on some nights."

"Sounds like fun. I guess we should be going," Winry said, stifling a yawn.

"Yes, of course, don't let me keep you." Sabrin headed off to talk with other customers.

Halia caught Winry's arm then nodded for them to follow her. She led them out a back door. "I didn't think we could avoid Leatherby and Dance if we went out the front. It'll be better if you get a day's worth of investigation in before you have to deal with them."

"Agreed," Ed said.

"Can you find your way back? If so, I'll just head home, because it is getting late and I have a lot of work to do to get ready for tomorrow." Halia pointed down the road. "See that blue building there? That's my office. You can come by tomorrow morning."

"We can find our way around," Ed said, starting off.

"Thanks for your help, Dr. Endymion," Al added, "Don't mind my brother, he's a little rude to everyone."

"He really is," Winry said, glaring after Ed who seemed willfully oblivious to it all.

"He should be a doctor then." Halia laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Winry and Al took off after Ed. They hadn't gone a block before the sky let loose with flakes the size and consistency of smashed potatoes. By the time they had walked another block they were coated.

"When we were little, we would have killed for soft, wet snow like this," Winry observed, trying to covertly hold out her tongue to catch a flake. She stopped when she saw Ed looking over his shoulder.

"That was fun," Ed admitted.

"Until you put snow down Ed's pants, Winry," Al said. "He complained for forever."

"That was still fun," she retorted, remembering Ed's tantrums about that.

"It was not. It was damn cold," Ed said his eyes as hard as the metal they so resembled. It just made Winry smile more.

"Funny," she shot back, wishing the snow was already deep enough for a snow ball. Oh, well, there was always tomorrow. She listened to Ed grumbling all the way back about snow in the pants. She almost felt sorry about it, almost but not quite. Once they got back to the little house, Winry was ready to just go to her room and nod off but she was cold. Ed went over to the banked fire Halia had started and stoked it up.

"I don't think there's any other kind of heat in here," Al said, looking around for radiators and seeing none. "Oh wait, here it is," he added, stepping into the next room. "It's very small."

"Well, hopefully there're fireplaces in the bed rooms. Al, maybe you should…" Winry trailed off, an embarrassed flush creeping up her face. "Um, it's just maybe you should sit by the fire for a little while."

Al's head drooped. "I'm radiating cold, aren't I?"

"Just a little," she said softly, not looking at him.

"It's okay, Al. You'll be in my room and I don't mind," Ed said, hurriedly.

Al just sat next to the hearth. "A few minutes of this and Winry will be fighting you to have me in the room to warm it up."

Ed smiled faintly. "I'm sure."

"I'll go check the bedrooms and see how they're set for tonight." Winry picked up her travel case on the way up. The one light in the room was dim and yellow. There was one tiny radiator inconveniently near the window like an afterthought, but there was a stout brick fireplace with an old-fashioned metal bed warmer resting against it. She turned down the bedding to let it air out a bit. It was thinner than she might have hoped. She was spoiled, use to the hot steam heating of Granny's home and her thick, warm down comforter. A hand on the radiator found it to be cold but she could hear it banging loudly. Ed and Al must have found the controls and the steam was sluggishly moving through the system.

Winry headed to the boys' room next with the bed warmer in hand, finding it in similar straits. She turned down their beds, not even sure if Al would lie down but reasoned he'd appreciate the gesture. She snagged the bed warmer from there as well then headed down stairs. "It's pretty cold up there. I brought down the bed warmers but we should probably get the fireplaces going."

"We put on the heaters on but they're old," Al said apologetically.

"Like everything else in this place," Ed grumbled.

"We'll make do. I'll look at them in the morning. I'm sure I can improve them." She put the bed warmers on the hearth and the boys carefully scooped a few hot coals into either metal pan. Ed helped her carrying them back upstairs. Al tried to start the fire in her room while she and Ed tended to the beds.

"Watch my bed catch fire," he said, coming into her room.

"I know what you mean." Winry eyed the bed warily. "How's it coming, Al?"

"Halia made it look easy," Al said, frustrated with the fire's refusal to catch.

"Can't you two just...you know and get it going?" She clapped her hands together.

"If you want that, travel with Mustang," Ed said then his eyes widened as he realized what he had said. "On second thought, don't. I haven't quite figured out how he does that thing with the fire. It's simple in theory but it's not as easy as it looks. Guess they wouldn't have made him a State Alchemist if it was."

"I think I got it going," Al said, getting up. "I'll try our room, brother."

"Okay." Ed turned to Winry. "You really do look a little beat."

"I am. I'll get a bath then get to bed." Winry yawned.

"Sounds like a plan. Good night, Winry," Ed said, heading to his room.

"Goodnight, Winry," Al added, following his brother.

"Goodnight boys." Winry opened her travel case and took out her nightgown wishing she had brought a flannel one. She went into the shared bathroom and started the water. The pipes moaned like the dead rising then sputtered blasting black strands of mildew into the metal tub. The water was a noxious shade of iron orange. "Ewww, damn!"

"Is there a problem Winry?" Al asked on the other side of the second door.

"Rusty water. I'll let it run tomorrow. I'm in no mood to wait for it to clear tonight." Winry eyed the water which did its best imitation of being pumped out of a coal mine. "If it ever clears."

"Okay," Al replied and moved away from the pale white door that bore deep scratches on it as if someone had locked up an unhappy dog inside the bathroom.

Winry just washed up in the sink a bit and changed into her nightgown. She removed the bed warmer then slipped under the covers. Halia hadn't lied. The sheets were fresh but Winry wasn't used to sleeping with a fire in the room. Every crack and pop dragged her away from the precipice of sleep. She stared at the glowing coals, half afraid that a stray spark would catch her bed on fire. The fire dogs cast weird and frightening shadows on the walls. Winry closed her eyes, fighting for sleep. The sound of Ed snoring right across the hall did not help. She willed Al to go roll his brother over. He didn't. Winry settled in for a long night.


	3. Aborted Search

Chapter Three

Ed stamped his way back into town with Al looking like a shambling snowman behind him. Over sixty centimeters of snow had fallen overnight and more was coming. It had made searching the hills nightmarish. The snow was already close to being up to his knees and Al had rescued him from three drifts by noon. Wet to the knees, with ice balls forming everywhere, Ed could no longer feel his living toes. His automail was so cold that it knifed into his core and he wasn't sure he would ever be warm again. They had come across several hunters and people skiing. Worse, even with Al toting a gun, tourists kept coming up to them to ask the way to the best trails to ski or where the best game trails were. Ed was fairly sure if there was a place to make a red stone around here it sure as hell wasn't in those highly trafficked woods.

"This is pointless," Ed raged.

"You have to learn to be patient, Brother. We've barely had time to cover just a little bit of the forest. We probably need to go in deeper," Al said placatingly as they entered the Dew Drop Inn. Sabrin was back behind the bar. She waved, welcoming them in with a wide smile.

"That's the problem, Al. It's too big and we don't know where to begin."

"Well, that's what we're back here for. Dr. Endymion said..." Al looked around to see if anyone might overhear then decided to err on the side of caution. "You know what she said."

Ed nodded, Halia's warnings about trusting locals in his ears. "She's over there with Winry."

The brothers went over and sat at the table with them. Winry's eyes raked over Ed's red, wind-burned face as he sniffled because his nose was beginning to defrost.

"No luck?" she asked.

Ed sluiced the slush off his hair. "None."

"It's early," Winry said and changing the subject, " It's been a crazy day at Dr. Endymion's office. I don't know how you do it, Halia."

"It'll be insane for days. The first snowfall always brings a plethora of injuries," Halia said, somewhere between regretful and happy at the prospect of lots of interesting cases.

"Her patients have been very understanding about me being there. It's amazing how much gossip flows through a doctor's office," Winry said, her eyes wide with surprise at that fact.

"Anything we can use?" Al asked, eagerly.

"Unfortunately no but Zak's friends are supposed to meet us here," Winry replied.

"Not to interrupt but there is only a half menu at lunch. Those meat pies you liked are only sold at night," Halia said, pointing to the menu placard on the bar.

"Damn, well I guess stew would be good," Ed scowled, disappointed. "I can't feel my feet. I need to warm up."

"Do you mind me asking, how cold does it get around the docking ports?" Halia whispered, tapping the back of his hand.

Ed looked at his glove-covered metal hand then over at Winry who shook her head. "How did you know?"

"Practiced ear. I can hear the subtle hum of the mechanisms." Halia flushed slightly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried. I can't curb my medical curiosity."

"It's okay. And the answer is very cold . The metal drills the cold right into me but it's better than being in the desert where you can accidentally fry yourself on your own limbs," Ed said wryly, memories of accidentally frying his own torso with his arm while in Liore dancing in his mind.

"I haven't seen a lot of automail. I've never thought about that. You didn't mention that sequella, Winry," Halia said.

"That's because she's a huge automail freak. She thinks the stuff doesn't suck," Ed said then yelped as Winry's foot found his innervated ankle.

"You know Ed, if it's so terrible, I can always take the automail back and we can prop you in a corner and use you as a coat rack...no you're not tall enough for that." Winry glared at him.

"No need to be mean," Ed pouted.

"She has a point, Brother," Al said.

"No artist likes to have their creations denigrated, Edward," Halia said, with a cluck of her tongue.

"I know. I didn't mean it that way. Sorry, Winry." Ed pulled a long face. He hated hurting Winry. He needed to learn to think before he spoke. "I just...I just wish I didn't have to have automail."

Winry reached over, tapping his hand. "I know, no one really does." She glanced up. "Here comes the waitress."

Talk of automail and investigating the woods silenced when outside ears grew near. Winry ordered a pot of tea, seeing Ed could really use it and both put in an order for stew.

"Are Zak's friends here yet?" Ed looked around. He saw a few kids in the restaurant having lunch, but none that seemed interested in him or Halia.

"Not yet but they will be. There's been no word about Zak," Halia said, remorse shining in her eyes.

Al's head tipped up. "Sheriff Leatherby just came in."

Ed's gold eyes canted towards the door. He scowled, seeing the large man with his young military liaison had spotted his table. "There's not going to be any avoiding them, is there?"

"Not now, I'm afraid." Halia twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "You're not getting out of it this time without raising suspicions that you're avoiding him."

"He's coming over," Winry whispered.

The waitress beat the sheriff and his military hanger-on to the table, setting out the tea tray. Leatherby glanced at Dr. Enydmion, his eyebrows raising as if he expected immediate introductions. "Afternoon, Doc. I noticed you have some guests. Here for the snow?" Leatherby asked, looking at Winry a little too long for Ed's comfort.

"No, this is Winry Rockbell, an automail expert here consulting with a few of my amputee patients and her cousins, Ed and Al Rockbell. They're here for the hunting," Halia replied, gesturing to the boys. "This is Sheriff Leatherby and Second Lieutenant Dance."

"Nice to meet you, sir. You have a very pretty town here," Winry said, nudging Ed's toe, hoping he took that as a hint to let her talk.

"Thank you, Miss. Will you and your cousins be in town long?" Leather asked, his eyes raking over Al, obviously taking in both the armor and the hunting rifle prop. Dance kept her mouth shut, her hazel eyes boring into Edward until she made him very uneasy.

"Oh, I don't think so, probably no more than a few days, sir," Winry said and the waitress came back with their food. "I have patients of my own to look after and, with all due respect to your lovely town, I'm not into winter sports."

"Not even hunting?" Leatherby smiled but it wasn't warm.

"Even me and Al aren't much on hunting, just trying to reconnect with Dad. He liked it," Ed lied, barely keeping a straight face as he poured more tea for everyone. "But we don't ski at all and I'm not good at sitting still so we needed something to do while we were here with Winry." Ed rolled his shoulders.

"Brother really is bad at sitting still," Al offered and Ed glared daggers big enough to puncture armor.

"I was wondering why hunters would come back so early." Leatherby's brow creased, his gaze going back to Al. "Aren't you cold in that armor, son?"

"I'm good," Al said, sheepishly. Ed tried not to wince. It was never good if people got too interested in his brother.

"I'm afraid to know what you think you'll find in the woods dressed like that," Dance said, breaking her silence.

"My brother is afraid of bears," Ed said, with a hint of a smile. Winry's head jerked up at that but she held back her surprise.

"Oh. Well, that could be a problem here. We do have them. That's probably what got these missing people," Dance replied, an ominous tone to her voice. She glanced at the doctor as she said it.

"Missing people?" Winry asked, innocently.

"The good doctor didn't tell you?" Dance sounded surprised.

"My brother and I haven't spent much time talking to Dr. Endymion," Al said.

"And we've been so busy with the medical talk, there's been no time for anything else," Winry added. She saw just a flicker of relief in Halia's eyes at not being implicated in anything.

Dance and Leatherby gave them suspicious looks. "The doctor's been worrying about a few people that have gone missing," Leatherby said in a tone that suggested all the worry was for nothing. "The forest can be a wild and dangerous place. You boys should be careful."

"We'll keep that in mind," Ed said, digging into his stew.

"Well, we'll leave you to your meal. Do come back tonight. This is the place to gather and talk in the evenings," Leatherby said, resting his hands briefly on Ed's shoulders. The boy jerked away.

"So I've told them Sheriff," Halia put in. "If the weather's good, we'll probably be here."

Leatherby and Dance moved back to their table but the frequent looks they gave everyone suggested that they were unconvinced of Al, Ed and Winry's motives. The teens shifted around uncomfortably, eating in silence. Ed knew Leatherby had to have felt the metal docking port in spite of the thick layers of clothing he wore. The young alchemist was almost disappointed when several kids bounded in. Now Leatherby would really know something was up.

Halia got to her feet so fast she nearly upset the table. "Rona! Look at you, You have a feverish look." She clamped a hand to the forehead of the nearest girl. "Let's all go to the clinic just to be sure this isn't catching." The doctor whirled around to face Winry. Ed hoped the flabbergasted children could keep their mouths shut. "Winry, you can come back to the clinic later when you and your cousins are done with lunch."

"Okay. Try not to work too hard," Winry replied, breezily.

"I'll try." Halia herded the kids out.

"That was close," Ed hissed. "It was dumb to meet these kids out in the open."

"We didn't think that out well, I guess," Winry said, looking relieved that the kids hadn't blurted anything out. "Hurry up and eat. Let's not leave food and give them even more to wonder about."

Ed nodded and forced himself to not bolt down his food. He could tell the sheriff was far too suspicious already. Still, he and Winry finished fast and, together with Al, headed to the Clinic. Halia had the kids in her office, working their way through her stash of ribbon candy.

"Sorry about all of that," Halia said, worry evident on her pale face. "We should have met here from the beginning but I was afraid to have them come straight here."

"We don't blame you, Doctor Endymion. You might disappear, too...but now it looks like the kids have a real reason to be here," Al said, acutely aware that the kids were staring at him, more than a little afraid.

"It's okay, kids. Al won't hurt you," Halia said, interpreting the looks. Ed knew that only made it worse from the way Al's armor softly clinked as he hunched in on himself. "Tell him and Ed what you know about Zak."

Rona, the young girl Halia had singled out for a 'fever,' stepped forward. "We don't know much. Zak was spending a lot of time near Hollow Creek. A lot of the crystals he likes wash up there."

"Crystals?" Ed broke in, unable to help himself. He knew there was no chance that a Philosopher's Stone would just wash up but he could always hope.

Rona pulled a chunk of rock out of her pocket and dropped it in Ed's hand.

"Quartz," Halia said. "The mountains here are riddled with it and some semi precious stones, too. The kids like to rock hound."

Ed nodded and gave Rona back her treasure. "I see. Thanks for showing me, Rona. What else do you know?"

"Zak saw a building out near where he was collecting stones but it was getting dark so he came back home without looking inside. He went back the next day." Rona's eyes clouded.

"That was the day he went missing," Halia interjected.

"I was supposed to go with him," a ruddy faced boy said, a forlorn look in his sage-green eyes.

"Given what he found in that building and that he disappeared there after, I'm very glad you didn't go, Tyler," Halia said, giving him a quick hug. "And I've already told you what Zak found inside that building."

Ed's face molded into a grim mask as he nodded slightly. "Do you think anyone would be able to tell me how to get to the building?"

Tyler sucked in his bottom lip then bobbed his head. "I'm sure I could. Zak told me where it's at but I'm too afraid to go out there."

"Maybe you could draw us a map. We don't want you in any danger," Al said, spreading his big hands.

Ed's eyes sliced over to his brother angrily. He knew Al was right, of course but he didn't want to waste time trying to decipher a map of the forest. "That's a good idea."

Several minutes and one map later, the kids dispersed and Halia walked Ed and Al out of the clinic, Winry trailing after them. Edward scowled, seeing Leatherby heading their way but the sheriff's eyes were on the doctor and not him.

"Doc, there's been an incident. Three cross country skiers hit some bad snow and have gone missing." The man's hard eyes flicked to the brothers. "We could use all the help we can get to find them. A big storm is on the way."

Ed's shoulders slumped as Winry and Al's eyes turned to him. "Of course, we'll help." He ran a thumb over the pocket where the map rested. Who knew? Maybe the search area would take them past Hollow Creek.

"Al, we'll lock up your hunting rifle in my office and I'll grab my medical kit," Halia said, taking the gun.

"I'll wager this is far more than you were expecting on your vacation," Leatherby said sardonically.

Ed rolled his shoulders. "If we can help, I'll be happy enough." He struggled to keep his dislike of this man off his face.

"You three might want to stay close to Halia out there," Leatherby suggested. "The snow might be unstable and you don't know the land."

"We'll keep that in mind," Ed replied grimly, wanting away from this man. He set off every alarm in Ed's head and probably would have even without Halia's warnings in his ears. He was just as glad to be heading back to the woods with his brother, Winry and Halia, leaving Leatherby going off on his own trajectory. Ed shivered as his wet, wool-stinking clothes started frosting back over. There was nothing to do for it but to ignore his discomfort and join the search.


	4. Heated Problems

Chapter Four

"I can't believe this snow," Ed grumbled, going back into the Dew Drop Inn. Snowflakes, even fatter and wetter than the night before fell so hard and fast it was nearly impossible to tell sky from ground.

"It's impressive," Winry agreed, somewhere between sarcasm and actually being impressed with the frosty output.

"My legs are tired from trudging through snow that deep," Ed groaned, rubbing his thigh. "The automail feels like it weighs as much as a tank. And it's so cold my ba...um, never mind." He blushed furiously. He was so used to being around men, or just Al, he had almost blurted out where the cold radiating up his metal leg had made his balls retreat to. Could he be more stupid?

"I believe you. Everything below the waist is burning like I'm on fire," Winry moaned, sinking into a chair at one of the few empty tables.

"At least they found the skiers," Al said.

"Poor Halia. She'll be working through the night. She'll be lucky to not have to do amputations for frost bite," Winry said, blowing on her hands which were red in spite of the gloves she had just peeled off them.

"Would you make automail toes?" Ed wondered, waving for the waitress.

Winry shook her head, dislodging ice balls from the long blonde tendrils of hair, splattering Ed, Al and a few other patrons. She flushed. "Oops, sorry. And no, usually not. I make toes if we're doing a whole leg, like the cute little ones I made you."

"Cute?" Ed's face squinched up. Al snickered. "Shut up, Al."

"Cute toes." Al giggled some more.

"They are cute. It's the little details that count," Winry pouted.

"Will you stop saying little," Ed implored as a Sabrin came over to the table.

"You look cold...and feel it." Her eyes cut over to Al, radiating cold enough to make other patrons scoot away as much as they could. "I'll send over some soup. We have a nice caramelized onion and wine soup tonight."

"Um, sounds good," Winry purred.

"And do you have any of the meat pies?" Ed asked, a greedy glint in his eyes. "You're pretty busy in here. I hope you're not sold out."

"We've got a few." Sabrin smiled.

Winry's eyes lit up. "I'll have one, too."

"Three meat pies and three soups?" Sabrin glanced over at Al who nodded. He didn't want to draw even more attention to himself by not eating. He knew Ed would gobble up his share.

"Great. And I know the weather is frightful but I do hope you can stay awhile and hear the storyteller," Sabrin said with an expansive wave to the little stage area.

"We'll try," Winry replied with an enthusiastic nod of her head.

"Good." Sabrin bustled off.

Winry saw Ed's look. "What? We might want to take a few minutes to blend in a little and look like tourists."

"She has a point, Brother," Al said, seeing Ed wasn't mollified.

"I know. We'll stay for a while but if that snow gets any deeper..."

Ed sighed. "Al will have to carry you on his shoulders." Winry smiled.

Ed leapt up. "Who are you calling so puny he could be buried by a simple snowflake?"

"You!" Winry grabbed his braid and yanked him back down. "Seriously, Ed, being seen in public with you is so embarrassing sometimes. I don't know how Al puts up with it."

"You get used to it," Al replied, with a clanging roll of his shoulders.

Ed glared at them both, pulling free of Winry and losing a few strands of hair in the process. "You know I don't like short jokes."

"You imagine short jokes even where they don't exist," Winry said sharply.

"Yeah, well, I didn't imagine this one." Ed released his braid and rubbed his scalp to warm up.

"Okay, sorry. Guess it gives us something to talk about other than what we want to and really shouldn't," Winry said, with a little grimace.

Ed's shoulders jerked. "Not like we have anything to say about that. We never even got close, not with all the search parties surrounding us."

"There's tomorrow, Brother." Al spread his hands wide.

"Something wrong?" Sabrin asked, bringing over the onion soup bowls. She gave them a concerned look.

"Oh, no. Al and I just wanted a little solitude away from our cousin the Mouth." Ed stabbed a finger at Winry. "But, of course, we were all out helping with the search party."

"Mouth!" Winry kicked Ed's ankle hard and he yelped.

"Not the way to speak to a lady, even if she is your cousin," Sabrin said, setting down the soup bowls.

"Guess not." Ed rubbed his battered ankle woefully.

"We're just glad the missing people were found," Al put in.

"It can be treacherous out there. You boys keep that in mind," Sabrin warned with a wag of her finger then headed back to the bar.

"Mouth?" Winry hissed again.

"What did you want me to do? I didn't want her wondering why we were so hot to get back out there. Getting away from a mouthy cousin was the first thing that came to mind," Ed said in his defense. "Do you need to be so violent?"

"You deserve it." Winry glared, whacking him with her spoon.

"I should have you sit between us, Al." Ed pouted, sampling the soup.

"I'm not a shield, Brother." Al sounded very put out.

"This soup is very good," Ed said, hoping to change the subject.

Winry gave him another pointed look but tried the soup. It passed muster with her as well. She and Ed ended up squabbling over their splits of Al's soup and his meat pie. They had settled down with a second pot of tea and were ready to hear the storyteller when all the lights went out abruptly. Shouts from the patrons sounded at the sudden darkness and Ed could see Sabrin, in a beam of moonlight from the window, trying the lights in vain.

"Well, looks like the weather's getting the best of the electricity," Sabrin said, over the din of the pub. "I'll break out some candles."

Ed tapped Winry's hand. "If it's getting that bad, maybe we should go. Now we're going to have to find our way in a snow squall in the dark."

Winry nodded. "So much for looking like tourists."

"Some of the others are going, too," Al said, pointing to the door.

Winry got up. "So I see."

They headed out into the deep snow. Ed and Winry were frozen through by the time they reached home. Al's metal body dropped the temperature of the dismal little place as soon as he stepped in.

"Ugh, guess I won't be bathing long tonight either," Winry said, shivering.

"You'll be lucky you don't have to chip ice off just to use the toilet," Ed replied, heading for the fireplace. He sat down on the hearth stone and cleaned out the ash from the night before.

"There's a pleasant thought. Hope there're no down drafts. We need that fireplace. Steam heat's all well and good but useless without electricity to power the heater," Winry groaned, collapsing on the old couch.

"I'll go upstairs until the fire catches," Al said softly, his helmet canting down. "You don't need me radiating cold."

"You don't have to, Al," Ed said, shoving kindling into his temple of wood.

"It's okay, Brother." Al dragged himself up the stairs, moving slow in the dark.

"Poor Al," Winry whispered, looking at Ed's face in the gloom as he tried to make the fire catch. She got up, lit a few candles that were on the mantle then went back to the couch.

"This is why we..." Ed swallowed hard. "I know you get mad that we don't write or visit, Winry. This is why. My brother's trapped. At least I'm still mostly human. I mean, as much as I hate the automail, lots of people have accidents and need it. I know that. But Al...I have to fix this." The usually subtle creak of his automail sounded loud in the quiet room as he clenched his fist.

"You will." Winry shook her head. He couldn't quite meet her eyes, staring into the fire. "I mean that. I know that you will do anything you can no matter what. I have faith in you, Edward."

He smiled faintly. "Thanks, Winry. Sometimes I need to hear it's not hopeless. Days like today...it's so hard to be so close to finding something, chasing down a lead and getting sidetracked." Ed sat back, happy with how the fire was catching. "Not that I wouldn't have gone to help those lost people."

"You're a good person, Ed, short tempered and impatient but good." She laughed softly.

"There's that word again," he rumbled, putting one last big log on the fire.

"Would you prefer hot headed?" Winry smirked.

Ed snorted. "Yes!"

"Brother! Winry! We have a problem," Al called from upstairs.

Ed leapt to his feet and charged up the steps. "What's happening?"

"The roof's leaking," Al said. "In both rooms."

"Oh damn, are you serious?" Ed moaned. "Remind me to talk to Halia about putting us in such a crappy house."

"There's nothing to do for it now. Show us the leaks, Al," Winry said.

"Brother's bed is soaking but I think mine's okay...I guess we'll have to trade. The wet won't bother me," Al said, leading the way.

"I'll go check my room." Winry headed across the hall with her candle.

"While she does that..." Ed climbed up on the dresser, clapped his hands and placed them on the ceiling. "This will at least fix the roof."

"Damn." Winry swore from the next room.

"Soaked, too?" Ed guessed, jumping down from the dresser.

She came back. "Yes, and with the damp just coming through the roof, it's going to be miserable up here. We should take the one dry mattress downstairs in front of the fire. It would be more comfortable."

"For you. Where am I expected to sleep?" Ed crossed his arms.

Winry rolled her eyes. "With me on the bed, Ed."

"With you?" Ed's voice cracked and Al glanced over at Ed managing to convey a 'what's wrong with that?' expression.

"Yes. Oh, grow up," she said, seeing the look on Ed's face. "We've done this before."

"When we were eight!" Ed blushed deeply enough to be seen even by the candlelight. "Things have changed."

"I should hope." Exasperation leaked into her voice.

"It does make sense, Brother. It's that or sleep on the floor. You can't sleep up here on a wet bed."

"You and I can transmute the water, Al. With the carbon in the bedding, it can become alcohol and that will evaporate fast," Ed said, moving to touch palms.

Al stopped him. "Ed, open fireplaces."

"Yes, Ed, think things through. Even if you didn't explode the fumes, we'd have to live with them. It's too cold to open a window and what happens to the bedding if you remove the carbon?" Winry's eyes narrow impatiently. "It's easier to just share the bed. Alchemy doesn't solve everything."

"There is the couch...but I guess it is cold. The bed works," Ed said, seeing the rising fury in Winry's eyes. "Come on, Al, let's get the mattress downstairs."

The brothers put the mattress in front of the fire after muscling it down stairs. Winry situated the bedding then peeled the covers back to let them warm.

"We should probably get to bed early," Ed said. "I'd like to get out there before the rest of the tourists if at all possible tomorrow." He kicked off his boots and pulled his long sleeved shirt off to expose the frigid automail. He tried to find the best position to warm himself, like a lizard on a sunning stone.

"I'll go back upstairs. It's still cold in here, isn't it?" Al's voice was laced with sadness. Winry could swear she heard tears, knowing he had to be so isolated because he couldn't so much as feel the temperature of the room.

"You don't have to go, Al," Winry said. "The fire will be plenty warm. You can stay with us."

"You're not used to hearing me rattle around." Al seemed to slouch as he headed to the staircase. "Brother is but I'll keep you up. It's not so bad. I'll take one of the books Brother and I have been meaning to read and go through it."

"You can't read..." Winry licked her lips. "I guess you can read all night. Sorry, Al, I forgot you don't sleep."

"It's okay, Winry," Al said, going up the stairs.

"It really isn't," Ed whispered once Al was out of earshot.

"I know," Winry replied, crawling into the bed. "Al must get so lonely being unable to sleep."

Ed got off the hearth stone and came to bed. "He doesn't complain. He never complains about much but I know it weighs on him."

Winry rolled over so she could face Ed. "I can't imagine. I wish we had a way of keeping him occupied at night but that would mean one of us being up all night."

"That's not a great schedule." Ed tried to get comfortable. "Sometimes he talks to the soldiers who've pulled the night shift but they're usually too busy." Ed shut his eyes. "Otherwise he just studies or lies there in the dark, thinking. I'm not help. I can sleep through anything. This is why I need to push so hard, why I take so few breaks. Al's life is-"

"A hell," Winry broke in bluntly, brushing Ed's hair back off his face. His eyes fluttered open in surprise. "I know you blame yourself."

"Why shouldn't I?" Ed's voice filled with bitterness. "I forced him into it, Winry. Al says no I didn't but I know if he was left on his own, Al wouldn't have done it."

"What might have been's don't matter, Ed. We don't get those sorts of second chances. We can't go backwards but we can take what we've learned and make better choices," Winry said practically, her hand soothing his hair back again.

"I know but...Winry, I've got to push myself. I don't say this ever...I don't know if Al realizes it and I don't want him to. I don't know how long the blood seal will last. It's already been years. If it weakens, I'll lose him and I can't..." Ed's larynx bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"Oh, Ed." Winry's throat constricted and she put her arms around Ed's shoulders. She held on tight even though he had stiffened up. Slowly he relaxed against her. Winry pressed her lips to the warm flesh of his neck, hearing the soft sound of surprise rumbling in him.

Shifting so she could kiss his lips, Winry gently nudged them open with her tongue. She prodded his tongue until it rose to tangle with hers. Ed's hand ran up and down her spine, the hot and cold of them raising gooseflesh.

He moaned lowly into her mouth as their tongues continued their explorations. Winry felt a sudden hardness pressing into her leg. She maneuvered her leg under his, the cool metal leaching through her clothing. Winry reached down to cup him wonderingly, having never touched an erection before, not even through clothing like now. Ed's hips flexed as he pistoned in and out of her hand, groaning at the friction then the soft sounds of pleasure died as Ed's eyes widened. He rolled away from Winry, nearly bailing out of the bed.

"What am I doing?" he hissed.

"Nothing I didn't want you to do," she said, looking into his flushed face.

"I can't!" His voice was a tight whisper. "This is wrong."

"Maybe it's not the best place for it." Winry's gaze flicked to the ceiling as if suddenly remembering they weren't alone in the house. "But it's not wrong."

"Yes, it is. I'll...I'll go sleep on the couch." Ed tried to swing out of bed.

Winry grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Oh no you don't. Edward, you don't get to just run away."

Edward glared at her, tearing out of her grip. "Let me go, Winry."

She got a better grip on him. "No. Edward, talk to me. You can't just do what we were doing and then run away."

"Don't you get it? I shouldn't have been doing it at all." His eyes narrowed into little slits of amber, his face hard as his automail.

"Because you think so little of me?" The words growled out of her.

Ed paled. He touched her shoulder. "No, Winry, I...I don't even know where to begin to tell you how much I care. How much I want...this." He gestured between them. "But I'm not the only one who did. Al's always liked you, too."

"I know that and it doesn't really change how I feel about you, Edward. Al's like my brother, too, but somehow between you and me, things changed," Winry said, putting her hand over his.

"And it frightens me because the temptation to give in is so strong." His gaze turned away from her towards the crackling fire.

"Why is this so horrible?" Her voice was as hot as the snapping flames.

He kept his gaze resolutely averted. "You know why. My life's not my own, Winry. I owe Al. I have to make this right. I don't have time for anything else just now. You know that. It's not fair to make you wait until I'm free. It may be too long. I may be too broken if..." Tears formed in his eyes, one or two escaping. "If it doesn't work."

Winry caught the tears on a finger. "It will work and I'm pretty sure we had this conversation before too, Edward. I'll always be the light in the upstairs window for you. I'll wait. You have no say in that. I know I could get my heart broken. I accept it. It's my choice to wait and you're not going to discourage me so easily."

Ed rubbed at his eyes, regaining control. "I wish I could."

"No, you don't, not deep down. Under all the guilt, there's a place inside you where you buried your hopes and dreams. I know I'm somewhere in that treasure chest. Come on, lay back down. I promise, I'll stay buried for now. Nothing happened tonight that we have to regret or anyone need to know." Winry pushed him down on the mattress then laid down herself.

"You don't know what you're letting yourself in for," he said, rolling onto his side, facing away from her.

"I have a fair idea. You know, Edward, I could help you more than you realize. I know you don't want me traveling with you or giving up my own career to help but if I do want to take time away to do just that, you shouldn't refuse it so much," she replied.

Ed sighed and said nothing. He was too tired to argue any more. They would get louder. Al would hear, would know what he had done and Ed couldn't bear that. Maybe once she was asleep, he'd sneak out and lay down on the couch. He felt wrong being here. He wanted to roll back over and kiss Winry more. He had loved how it felt to have her hand on his cock. No one had ever touched him like that before. The sensation had been incredible and the way it flavored his guilt unbearable.

Winry snuggled up along his back, tucking her face against his living shoulder. Her breath curled warmly along his skin. It was nearly too much for him. He had to fight to remain in control of his flesh. He felt embarrassed, imprisoned by desires he wished he didn't have and alternately wished he could indulge. In the end, he went nowhere and allowed himself to sleep in her embrace at last.

X X X

"What have you found out?" the alderman, Nicholas Clayworth, asked, swirling his beer around in his mug. He huddled across from Leatherby and Dance at their table in the Dewdrop Inn. The inn was closed finally for the night except for the last three patrons of note.

Leatherby's eyes narrowed. "That we can find records for the Rockbells in Rezembool but only for a Pinako and Winry, automailers, so that much is true. There are no cousins to be found, at least not that a quick call to the town hall can uncover. However, the clerk there wondered if I meant Edward and Alphonse Elric."

"That would make sense," Dance broke in, fingering the silver insignia on her collar. "Unless Edward is really happy and really off center, he's carrying something heavy in his front pocket. There is a state alchemist going by the name Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. That could be his pocket watch."

"A state alchemist," Nicholas bleated, his thick handlebar mustache dancing like a red silk scarf in the wind.

"This is bad," someone said from the shadows of the Dewdrop Inn. "If the little runt is a state alchemist then he's not here for the hunting."

"You think the good doctor put them on our trail," Leatherby said grimly.

"How much could she know?" Nicholas' hands shook, nearly spilling his beer.

"Obviously enough to send state alchemists after us," Dance replied, her voice sharp, her eyes filled with loathing for the weak town leader.

"They can't be allowed to know about the stone we're trying to craft," the shadowy figure said. "We should add them into the mix if they're so eager to know what we're doing."

"All of them?" Dance asked, obviously delighted at the prospect.

"All of them. The doctor will only continue to be a problem and the so-called cousins aren't like to simply stop if just one of them disappears. No, they all need to go. It can be blamed on the heavy snow fall," the shadowy figure replied. "Everyone knows the boys are always in the forest so it wouldn't come as a surprise if an accident happened."

"You and I can handle the brothers once they get out into the woods," Leatherby said to the shadows. "Dance, you handle the doctor."

Dance inclined her head to him. "Of course."

"What should I do?" Nicholas asked.

"Do what you do best. Keep reassuring the townspeople and tourists there's nothing wrong," Leatherby replied, sourly.

"It's settled then," the shadowy figure said. "We should get home and get some rest. It's going to be a harsh day tomorrow even without all we have to do." The sound of breaking glass as the fourth member of the group slammed a bottle into the bar for emphasis made them all jump. "Nothing is going to interfere with the making of this stone."


	5. unexpected Danger

Chapter Five

Ed stomped through the snow, his temper foul. Al had stopped trying to talk to him. He didn't know if something had happened in the night between Ed and Winry or maybe Ed just had a bad night but he was trying even Al's vast patience. There were rare times that Al just wanted to sit on his brother until the crabbiness passed. This was one of them.

"Ed, there." Al pointed across the river they had been follow, trying to find Zak's building. He was sure he had found something important.

"Boot prints?" Ed sounded less impressed. "We've seen more than enough of those."

"Not out this far, we haven't," Al replied, wishing he had teeth to grind. It would probably feel good right about now.

"Probably just a lucky hunter who finally managed to escape the skiers," Ed huffed, waving his brother off impatiently.

"Well, the tracks parallel the river so we can follow them both for a little while," Al said, thinking about burying Ed in the snow. Ed just shrugged.

They trudged on for a little while following the tracks before Ed stopped short. His eyes widened. "What the hell!"

"This is bad," Al said, his gripes about Ed flying from his mind.

On a stone, a few yards away were the words, 'Welcome, Elric Brothers,' painted brightly. Al started running after his brother who had taken off toward the rock. The ground shifted under Al and the snow crumbled under his weight. Al dropped into the covered crevasse, his helmet nearly coming all the way off as he banged his way to the bottom. Al wasn't dazed per se but he was disoriented. "Brother?" he queried, trying to tell top from bottom.

"Al! Al! Are you all right?"

Al glanced up and saw Ed backlit by the bright sunlight. "I'm okay. I don't think anything came off or broke in the fall but I think my leg's stuck."

"I'll get you out." Ed clapped his hands but before his brother could do anything Al saw a log swinging toward Ed's head.

"Brother!"

Ed didn't have time to react. Al flinched, hearing the sickening concussion. Ed collapsed without a whimper. A shadow fell across the opening of the crevasse then was gone.

"Brother!" Al screamed again, scrabbling for his chalk inside his pouch. He made a sloppy array on the rock. This was too slow. No wonder State Alchemists carried their prime arrays. He needed to be able to do this like his brother could. Was that a motor he heard over the roar of the rock he was transmuting into a staircase? Rock shifted away from his trapped foot. Al found the climb out harder than he expected. When he had nearly lost his helmet, his hollow body had filled with snow. He couldn't open his chest plate in the narrow ravine he was caught in and he was afraid to transmute the snow to a liquid form. He and Ed were both leery of the blood seal getting wet or scratched. Really he ought to transmute some metal around it to shield it better.

When Al finally reached the top, he evacuated his chest then transmuted what had fallen into his limbs into water. He hated this. Things like this only served to remind him he was no longer human, not really. He was little more than an animated doll his brother had created. Al knew Ed would be angry for him even thinking it but sometimes he couldn't help it.

He glanced around. Blood, in a halo, spattered the snow. Al didn't have a heart to clench but he could have sworn he felt something very much like that. It was beyond bad. Ed was hurt and whoever had set the trap obviously knew that they were alchemists if they knew their real names. Dr. Endymion had been right to fear the worse in this place.

Al looked around for footprints other than his and Ed's and the ones he found ended with deep, ski-like ruts. The motor he had heard, it just had to be one of those strange machines, like motorized sleds, that Winry had seen in town and fallen in love with. Halia had one. They could move pretty fast over snow. Al might not be able to keep up but he could track them. He just hoped the trail wouldn't intersect with cross-country skiers or he might never find Ed.

X X X

Winry trudged down the snowy sidewalk towards Halia's clinic. The streets were nearly empty this early in the morning. She hated not being able to go with the brothers. They might need her, not that she knew what she could do that two alchemists couldn't. She simply disliked cooling her heels and as much as she enjoyed helping Halia, what little useful gossip she heard at the doctor's office wasn't worth the effort. Winry wasn't sure why she had bullied her way into coming on this trip. She thought it was because she wanted to spend time with the brothers, that she could help them. What a joke. She was just a distraction. She proved that last night.

Going to Halia's early was just a dodge to keep from thinking about the night before. Winry didn't want to be reminded how good it felt kissing Ed. Even better than the kissing was the feel of his erection pressing against her and the slick, wet feeling between her own legs. She had wanted to know what he felt like, what he looked like in that state. Was that moving too fast? Probably, since they had never actually dated, but they had known each other all their lives. Surely that shaved time off how fast they could go. She wanted to see those beautiful metal parts of him melding with the warm flesh of his body, see him in a way that wasn't clinical for a change.

Wondering if Al had heard them, Winry's cheeks flushed guiltily. She loved both of the Elric brothers but she wasn't in love with Al. Even if he had his body back, it wouldn't make a difference. It wasn't that Al wouldn't make an excellent boyfriend; he was sweet, warm and caring. But Winry liked the thorny challenge presented by Ed. "Easy," she told herself in a plume of air, "would get boring."

No one was around when she got to the doctor's office, not that it was a surprise, given the early hour. The front door was open so Winry went in calling, "Halia!" merrily.

In response, something crashed. A dreadful feeling washing over her, Winry charged into the office. She saw legs disappearing out the window. Halia lay on the floor, bleeding. The doctor lay very still and for a moment, Winry thought Halia might be dead. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Halia's chest move.

Winry dashed into a treatment room and grabbed gauze and a medical kit. She knelt beside Halia and gingerly probed the gash on the back of the doctor's head. Head wounds were always bloody affairs, sometimes misleadingly so. The tissue around the wound felt soft with the first rush of swelling but the bone underneath seemed firm and ungiving. Winry didn't think Halia's skull was broken. Hearing the front door opening, Winry's heart thumped. Maybe whoever had done this was coming back to finish Halia off. No, that was silly. He would have just finished them both first and not run off only to come back.

"Morning, Halia!"

Winry let her pent up breath out. "Clare! Back here, hurry. Halia's been hurt!" she called to Halia's nurse.

The older woman raced in with young Tyler following her. The boy bore a fresh scrape on his forehead,. The woman's papery skin paled to a pasty hue as her mouth flopped open. Tyler went white under his freckles, his body trembling. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I scared off whoever it was," Winry said, thinking she did in fact know what happened. Whoever had taken Zak and killed the others had done this to Halia. They must be afraid the doctor knew too much.

"Is she?" Clare's voice trailed off, kneeling next to Halia. Tyler hung back, burying his face against the wall.

"No, and I don't think the wound is too serious. I interrupted whoever it was before he could finish the job." Winry's voice shook just a bit as it finally sank in how lucky she had gotten. The intruder must not have known her voice or she could have been killed too as part of it all. Surely if Halia was a target then so were she and the boys.

"This is because of the missing people," Clare said and Tyler whimpered softly.

"I'm afraid so, and I have to find my cousins. They could be in danger if someone thinks they're involved." Winry got to her feet, noticing Tyler's eyes drawn to her bloody hands. "Can you take care of Halia?"

"I can. And Winry, if someone thinks your cousins are involved, then they'll think you are, too," Clare warned, worry in her blue eyes.

"I know." Winry sobered, looking at the open window. "They're in the forest. I have to get out there but I don't know where exactly. I only got a quick look at map."

"I can take you," Tyler piped up, steeling his jaw.

"It's too dangerous," Winry said, shocked that the boy would even think to offer. It was dangerous out there and she knew he was very aware of that. "I couldn't risk you."

"Zak is my friend, Halia, too," the boy protested. "I want to help. We can take Halia's snow sled."

Clare looked Winry in the eye, worry reflecting in her face. "You'll never find your way on your own, Winry. I don't like it but you need a guide. Tyler knows these woods very well. We might not have time to haunt down another guide. Go on. I'll care for Halia. Tyler, you don't take any risks. You know how to hide. Winry, take Halia's rifle."

Winry followed Clare's pointing finger to the rifle. Washing Halia's blood off, Winry picked up the gun. It felt strange in Winry's hand. She had handled them before, learning to implant weapons into her automail. She did find it offensive but could understand the soldiers' desires to return to duty in an 'improved' manner. Maybe it was how her parents died that made guns repugnant. Abhorrent or not, Winry slung the gun over her shoulder and followed Tyler to the snow sled. She got on the thing, making sure her coat was completely buttoned.

"Do you know how to drive this?" Tyler asked, climbing on behind her.

"No, but I'm good with machines," Winry replied, studying the vehicle. The boy didn't look reassured. She pressed what she hoped was the starter button. The thing roared to life and, with starts and stops, Winry got the machine moving. Soon, she was gliding along the forest trails at a heart-fluttering pace. She had never been on anything so fast. What if she turned it over as she dodged branches, rocks and frozen creeks? She and Tyler would both die.

She didn't know she could be so cold. It felt like the flesh was burning off her face from the icy wind.

Tyler tapped her shoulder at intervals to point out the way. Finally, Tyler rapped on her shoulders and waved his hands. Winry stopped. "Look!"

Winry brushed a hand over her frosted eyelashes and glanced up. She had been concentrating so hard on the trail and not killing them by hitting something that she missed seeing the graffiti on the rock. Her heart sank. Someone knew Ed and Al's identity.

"Winry," Tyler said, hesitantly pointing to something red marring the pristine snow.

She swung off the sled and went to investigate. Winry had seen enough of the sanguine substance to recognize blood when she saw it. Her legs quivered as the strength drained from them. "Oh, Ed."

"Tracks," Tyler said, pointing them out. "Something big and heavy."

"Al. We need to follow them." Winry ran on shaky legs back to the sled. Tyler wheeled about and followed her.

So she could see the tracks better, Winry drove so slowly that she almost bogged the machine down. Al seemed to be following other sled marks. It didn't take long to see the sun glinting off Al's armor. "Al!" Winry screamed then killed the engine so she could be heard. "Al!"

He spun around, tearing up huge gouts of snow. "Winry! What are you doing here? It's dangerous."

"I know. I came to warn you and Ed." She vaulted off the sled. "Someone nearly killed Halia."

"And someone took Ed," Al said plaintively. If he could tremble, Winry knew he would. Al and Ed were inseparable and Al must have seen his brother get hurt. He had to be frantic.

"I saw the blood. I was afraid…" Winry paused, a tremor racing through her. "We have to find him."

"I think I know where they took him," Tyler piped up from where he sat on the sled.

Winry glanced over her shoulder at the child. "What?"

"That's the way to Zak's building, the one he was so excited about finding," Tyler replied, pointing to the tracks in the snow. "That's where the tracks seem to be heading."

"I guess that building really has something to do with everything that's going on," Winry said, relieved to have a target. That gave her hope. Maybe Zak and Ed were both there and she could help them. "We need to get there quickly before they do something worse to Ed. Al, get on. This thing is so fast."

"I'm too big, Winry. I won't fit and I'm heavy. It might not go with me on it. You'll have to go on ahead." Al's shoulders seemed to slump. "I can run fairly fast and I don't tire."

"Tyler, maybe you should go with Al. I don't want to risk you getting hurt. He can protect you and I'm not sure if I can," she said quietly, her nerves catching up to her.

Tyler shook his head. "I'm not wearing snowshoes. I'm too short to go through these drifts without them. I'll barely be able to walk. I'll stay with you and hide when we get there. Besides, I know the way if you lose the tracks," he pointed out, his body trembling, giving lie to his brave front.

Winry scowled then nodded. "Al, when I get there, I'll go inside to try and find Ed."

"Winry, it's too dangerous. Wait for me," Al protested, shaking his hands.

"Ed may not have time to wait and they won't be expecting me. This time the element of surprise is mine. And...I have a gun." Winry tried to smile encouragingly, not mentioning she wasn't a good shot, or maybe she was. She could fling a mean wrench, after all.

Al's leather and metal hand closed over her shoulder. "You be very careful."

Winry wrapped her fingers over his. "You, too."

Al's fingers flexed. "I can't let you do this Winry. It's way too dangerous."

Winry jerked free of his hand. "Please, Al, don't argue. It's the best way to do this. I'll be careful."

She could imagine Al's human face over that horrible helmet, saw the fire in brown eyes, the knit of a pale brow from concern and impotent frustrations. When he started to protest again, reaching back out for her, Winry gunned the sled and took off. She felt terrible in doing that to Al. He meant well but Ed might not have time to waste while she convinced him this was for the best.

Tyler went back to giving her hand signals. Her belly twisted when the building came into view. She knew Al wasn't far behind but it was enough should she get into trouble. Winry hoped her fear didn't show as she parked behind a stand of trees. She swung off the sled. "You should be pretty well hidden here, Tyler. This is the starter. If someone comes, try to drive out of here. Don't worry about me."

"Okay," the boy said, shakily.

Winry wondered if he'd drive off in a panic as soon as he was out of sight. She really wouldn't blame him. He'd been plenty brave just leading her here. She slung the rifle over her shoulder. It felt foreign and heavy. She hated guns but she'd rather have it than not.

Making her way towards the building, Winry steeled herself for what she'd find inside. She couldn't let herself think that Ed wouldn't be held captive here. The other sled trail did lead here. She couldn't think that he might already be dead. She would be in time. Ed wasn't beyond her reach. It was up to her to save him.


	6. Meat Pies

Author's Note - When I started this story I hadn't read all the manga/ seen all the anime yet and didn't know Winry's mom's name was Sara. So, I've retconned this a bit and Sara the tavern owner is now called Sabrin.

Chapter Six

Ed's head hurt more than he thought possible. Everything seemed upside down and spinning slowly and a foul odor permeated the area, coating his mouth with a raw metallic taste. He blinked his eyes a few times and the spinning stopped. Upside down, however, seemed to be the order of the day. Ed realized it was he who was upside down.

He tried frantically to find out what in the hell was happening. Someone had suspended him by his ankles from the rafters of what looked to be an old mill. Sawdust, mildewy and old, carpeted the floor. His arms were tied down to the metal rings that poked out of the wood refuse on the floor. Conveniently for his captors, his bonds were too far apart for him to touch hands. The copper metallic scent of the place was starting to make his stomach flip, especially when cold blasts of wind pouring through broken windows stirred everything up.

Ed blinked rapidly, unsuccessfully trying to clear the last residuals of bleariness from his eyes. He must have a concussion. His stomach seemed to wiggle inside him like a belly dancer and he'd be damned if he could remember anything. The last thing he could call clearly to mind was Winry pressed up against him when he woke up before dawn, so hard it nearly hurt. He had to shuffle to the bathroom before she woke up and noticed. It had taken forever to get control back over his own body. So how did that lead to him hanging upside down in a strange place?

His head throbbed as Ed closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. He peeled them open again and tried to sort out where he was. That's when he saw the man hanging catty corner to him, or what was left of the man, Ed corrected himself, trying hard not to throw up. He'd choke in this position. The man had been gutted like the animals Sig used to prepare for his butcher shop and pieces of muscle had been flayed away.

"Looks like our boy is awake," a female voice echoed in the empty mill. Her voice seemed familiar.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Ed tried to sound tougher than he felt staring at the massacred body. He struggled like an animal in a trap.

"Like you don't know, Fullmetal," a man replied.

"Fullmetal, what's that?" Ed asked, not sure he had anything to gain by pretending to be ignorant. It was worth a shot if he could gain a little time to get his bearings. Icy spiders of worry crept up his back as his mind kicked around the idea that he was too dependant on alchemy; somehow he couldn't use in this position.

"Then this isn't yours?" Someone moved into his view, dangling his pocket watch from her fingers.

"Lieutenant Dance, should have figured you were involved. You, too, Leatherby. That is you in the shadows, right? Dr. Endymion was right not to trust you." Ed's words lashed out, filled with his impotent fury. He could do nothing but talk, his alchemy useless, all the martial skills he knew now fettered by his bonds.

"Yes, well, hopefully Dance didn't botch killing her too badly," Leatherby said, coming into view.

Dance glared. "I got interrupted."

Ed's throat went dry. Winry would have headed to Halia's. Had they hurt her? Would asking them clue them into how much she meant to him? That could prove fatal to her. They probably already guessed it but just in case they hadn't, he wasn't about to point the way. "Which of you is the alchemist?"

"Why would you think there's an alchemist involved?" Leatherby asked.

"Missing people turning up dead? Either you're trying to create a Philosopher's Stone or chimeras," Ed said, tugging on his bonds and getting nowhere.

The laughter of a third person startled Ed. He convulsed like a landed fish in his bonds. She stepped into view and Ed's mouth flopped open. Sabrin glared at his surprised. "That's right, the humble tavern owner is the alchemist. Weren't expecting that, were you?"

"No," Ed admitted. He hadn't even thought about Sabrin as anything other than a tavern owner. He couldn't picture her as a murderer. "Why do you want the Philosopher's Stone?"

She shook her head, a smug expression on her face. "I don't. I'm after the other stone."

Ed blinked for a moment, trying to remember what he knew about the other great quest for alchemists; the White Lion, the White Stone, the elixir of immortality. He hadn't paid it much heed since he didn't want to be immortal, he simply wanted his brother back. The only time Ed had marked references to the White Stone were when it was discussed as possibly being the same as the Red Stone. "Is there nothing in higher alchemy that doesn't involve human sacrifice?" Ed moaned then steeled himself. "What do you want that stone for?"

"To live forever, of course." Sabrin looked at him as if he were the stupidest man alive. "Do you know what we could do if we could live forever?"

"Watch everyone you ever loved die," Ed replied quietly. It was hard enough losing his mother and Al's body. He couldn't imagine living forever, losing Winry, Granny, Teacher, hell even Mustang and his men. Making new friends and losing them, too, over time; that was too much. Maybe he could use the stone on his loved ones so they'd live, too, but it probably wouldn't work. It was too against the flow of nature.

"What's love when you can amass great wealth?" Sabrin leaned down and patted his cold cheek. It made the pain in his head surge.

"More like amass great pain and toil," Ed replied, his voice bitter as gall.

"You're a gloomy little bastard." Sabrin laughed, tickling her fingers over the patch of skin bared because his shirt and jacket were rucked up under his armpits.

"Well, have you managed to create the White Stone? Did you get anything for all the deaths you caused?" Ed snarled, nodding at the flayed body. "I'm betting not. Why cut them into pieces afterward? Isn't killing them bad enough?"

"To hide the bodies," Leatherby said with simple practicality.

"Only a bear carried some pieces too close to town and we were at risk of being uncovered. We had to change that practice," Dance added.

"So, now what do you do?" No one answered Ed. "What can it hurt to tell me? You're going to do _that_ to me anyhow." Ed swallowed hard. He hadn't thought about it until that moment. _Oh damn, they really are going to do that to me!_ A cold sweat dribbled out of his pores and his bladder kicked at him.

Sabrin shrugged. "What good does it do you to know? Bart, Tamar, make sure he's incapable of going anywhere should he miraculously escape."

"What?" Ed gasped, icy terror licking at him.

"My pleasure." Leatherby grinned as he walked off.

"People will be looking for me," Ed said defiantly. He didn't know what they had planned but it was going to happen unless he stalled them.

"They're already dead," Sabrin replied and Ed couldn't swallow.

Tears wanted to be shed but he refused. His mouth went salty and that clenching in his bladder hit again. Winry couldn't be dead. Al...was his brother with him when he had been captured? He couldn't remember but logically Al would have been there. Could they know about the blood seal? Could they have hurt his baby brother? "No."

"You're so hamstrung I lose nothing by giving this back to you." Sabrin tossed his pocket watch into the sawdust under him.

Ed couldn't rally. Suddenly the world rushed up at him as Leatherby let the ropes around his ankles go. Ed crashed to the flooring, his shoulders wrenching because his arms were still tethered. He thought his pocket watch had just sliced open his scalp and it did nothing for his concussion. Ed swallowed back vomit. By the time the stars cleared from Ed's view, Leatherby stood over him, holding a sledgehammer. "What are you going to do?" Ed's voice filled with impotent fury and fear.

Leatherby just grinned broadly as he raised the sledge and crushed it down on Ed's automail knee.

Ed howled in frustration and pain as the automail wires shorted into the nerves of his thigh. Leatherby smashed the knee again, leaving it sparking.

"Get the hand, too. We can't allow him to draw any arrays," Sabrin said, sounding amused at his pain.

Leatherby laughed as he turned the hammer on Ed's hand. When the pain faded, a cold sweat liberally coated Ed's body. He dragged air in and out raggedly.

"He still has another hand to draw with," Dance pointed out.

"No," Ed murmured in spite of himself. His gut clenched as he fought with his bonds. They just laughed at him. How could anyone enjoy seeing someone in pain?

"No, not the sledge, Bart. That just leaves bone shards in the meat. I hate picking them out," Sabrin said and Ed could barely process what she might mean by that. "Just take his fingers off with tin snips."

"I didn't bring them. I'll have to come back," Leatherby said, disappointment ringing in his voice.

Ed fought again not to throw up. They were talking about cutting off his fingers like someone would talk about plucking flowers. "How could you?"

"The quest for eternal life," she replied. "You'll be part of the great alchemic process, a successful part of the stone or just another dead body."

"And then what? You'll chop me up for bear food?" Ed growled, fighting vertigo as his concussion sent another wave a spinning his way.

"No, people food. You wanted to know what I do with the people, Edward. They're the special ingredient in those meat pies." Sabrin smiled at him.

Ed just stared. She had to be joking.

"That's why she's so damn picky about me getting bone shards in your meat, as if she's really going to use a bony little hand," Leatherby snorted.

They weren't kidding. Ed gagged, half surprised his stomach or bladder didn't let go. "How could you?"

"Had to get rid of our failures some place. Grinding them up for meat pies seemed like the best way not to get caught and it turned out to be very profitable. Everyone loves those pies," Sabrin said as casually as if discussing the weather. "What's wrong, Edward? You look green. I thought you liked those pies."

Edward turned his head and vomited, getting it all over his metal arm. He spat, trying to clear his mouth, tasting bile.

Sabrin laughed again. "String him back up, Bart. It'll make it harder for him to wiggle free."

"Gladly."

Ed groaned as they hauled him up by his ankles once more. His head hurt so much he thought he'd black out again and he couldn't afford that. He was surprised his automail leg didn't just shear apart given how much Leatherby had beaten on it.

"We'll be back later to take care of those naughty fingers, Edward. Try not to die from the cold before we can use you. Oh well, if you do, I'll just put you in a tart. You're too little to make a whole pie." Sabrin patted his cheek again.

Ed was far too afraid to allow himself his usual outbursts at being called little. He just watched them leave and set his mind to figuring out how to get free from his four-point restraints. If he some how miraculously did, how he was going to make it one-legged through the snow? He didn't know but he'd belly crawl if he had to. He'd rather die of exposure than being gutted and dismembered.


	7. The Rescue

1Chapter Seven

Winry ducked down behind some bushes, hearing voices. Belatedly, she realized her rifle muzzle poked up above the branches. Yanking it down closer to her body, she peered through the thick underbrush. Winry recognized the three people who came out of the mill, Leatherby, Dance and Sabrin. Somehow, seeing the sheriff and the military attache didn't surprise Winry that much. Halia had shared her fears about them but Sabrin? What was she doing here?

Leatherby and Sabrin got on two of the three sleds outside the mill and sped off, leaving Dance standing guard. What did they have to do with anything? Winry didn't know but she knew that they had to be behind the killings. Of course she didn't know that, she corrected herself. They could have other reasons for being out in the forest. Halia hadn't trusted them, which might be influencing Winry's mind about them just now.

Winry's thighs began to burn from sitting in the snow bank. She needed to get past Dance but the woman never moved from the front door. Winry didn't want to shoot her; she didn't think she had it in her to kill. All she had was supposition. She didn't honestly know if Dance had actually done anything.

What Winry needed was another way in and enough cover to get to it unobserved. She huffed, just a little anxious. At the rate she was going, Al would have nothing to fear. He'd catch up to her. Winry slowly high crawled around the building, using the bushes as cover until she was out of Dance's path of vision. Her thighs and knees protested as she stood up and inched along the building. Seeing a broken window, Winry grinned as she peeked through. Her smile faded instantly when she saw Ed's back as he dangled upside down from the rafters. She could see another gutted body hanging the same way.

Reeling away, Winry tried not to be sick. She had seen a lot of blood, bone and gore in her young life but never had she seen life handled with such disregard. What if Ed was already gutted like that? Winry clutched at the window sill to stabilize herself before her weak legs gave out. She would die if she had to see it. Al would blame himself. Winry forced herself back to the window. Her fists clenched so hard they hurt. Even if Ed was dead, she couldn't leave him like this. She'd cut him down then go out the front door and kill Dance without a qualm.

As she heaved herself and her gun up onto the window sill, Winry saw Ed wiggling, pulling on his fetters. Relief washed through her, leaving her feeling puppy weak in its wake. She resisted the urge to call his name. He might not know Dance was standing guard and she didn't want him to accidentally alert her. Winry padded on snow encrusted boots over to the strung-up alchemist and touched his shoulder. He yelped, his body convulsing.

"Ed, shhhh."

"Winry!" His voice was tight. "I thought you were them back to cut off my fingers!"

"They'd come in the door, not the window, Ed. Hang on, I'm going to get you down from the rafters," Winry said, tension laced through her words.

"Excuse me for panicking. I have a concussion, I'm hanging upside down and someone is coming to cut me up to make meat pies," Ed babbled then squalled as Winry wasn't able to hold the rope tightly enough to slowly lower him. Ed banged his head on the flooring since his shackled hands couldn't catch him.

"Will you hush up? Dance is just outside standing guard." Winry raced over and started examine the cuffs on his wrists, her gun slithering over her shoulder and getting in her way. She paused, looking up from his shackles, her brow beetling. "Meat pie?"

"That's where all the missing people went! Sabrin made meat pies out of them," Ed rasped. His eyes widened to make room for the flood of concern as he fixed on her rifle. "Why do you have a gun?"

"Meat pies?" Winry turned green, gagging. "Why would you tell me that? I'm going to be sick."

"Sorry. Winry...gun?"

"Protection." Getting herself under control, she dug in her pocket and came up with a small tool kit. "I think I can pick this lock."

"We don't have time, Winry. Leatherby is on his way back with tin snips for my fingers. I'm going to tell you what to draw in the sawdust. Just put it close enough for me to touch," Ed instructed, the edge of panic leaving his voice.

"What did you do to your hand?" Winry's eyes widened, catching her first good look at the destruction of Ed's automail.

"Quiet, remember? Don't look at my knee, either. They...even if you get me out of these shackles, I'm not sure I can walk," Ed said, worry in his golden eyes.

"If I look at your automail, I'll scream," Winry ground out. "Tell me what to draw." Winry started sketching what Ed told her to in the sawdust, close enough that he could touch the array. He hesitated for a moment on some of the lines, trying to remember them. It had been a while since he needed an array. She glanced over at him and he nodded approvingly. "Is it right?

"What I can see of it." Ed flattened his living palm over the array and with a little flash, he altered the density of the steel, breaking it. He rolled and slapped his hand to his broken one and did the same to the other cuff. Groaning, he raised his automail hand "I think a finger just fell off."

Winry scooped it up, pocketed it then braved a look at his knee. "You got lucky, Ed. He crushed the joint together."

"How is that lucky?" Ed couldn't keep the whine out of his voice.

"It'll hold, at least for a little while. You'll have to swing from the hip but you should be able to hobble along without your leg falling off," Winry said very clinically.

He made a face at her. No matter what happened, Winry could talk automail. "There's a happy thought." Ed extended a hand to her.

Winry hauled him up with practiced ease. She let him get his balance then slid her arm around him. "Let's go, if you can. I think I can shove you out that window. I have no idea how you'll do in the snow."

"Need a moment." Sweat popped out on Ed's face. His stomach roiled and it felt like part of his head had slid off. "Getting sick..."

"That's the concussion. Take a few deep breaths, Ed." Winry tightened her grip and he leaned against her strong body.

"Got another problem," Ed murmured, his face flushing.

"What?"

"I have to..." Ed's coloring deepened. "I couldn't since I was upside down and it would have gone in my face."

"I don't..." Winry trailed off, noticing his tortured expression and what he was referring to suddenly hit her. "You'll have to hold it now, too. You can pee when we're safely out of here."

"Yeah, well...if I explode, you were warned," he grumbled the added soberly, "Winry, if Dance sees us or if Leatherby comes back, you leave me and save yourself." Ed tried to rotate his hip to lift and swing his non-functioning leg. It was harder than he expected it to be. It had been a long time since he had hobbled on a non-functioning prosthesis, not since he had first been injured and his stump matured enough to bear his weight.

"Of course," she said too quickly, too flippantly for anyone to take her seriously. Ed's face darkened but he didn't argue. He knew better than to do anything more than they already had to alert Dance. "Al's on his way," she added as he slowly humped along.

Ed paused, sucking in a deep breath as the leg sparked. His eyes fluttered.

"Sorry, Ed, I know the limb is backfeeding on your nerves." She squeezed his waist. "Just a few more steps and we'll be outside. I have a sled. We can get you out easily once you get on board."

"The trick is..." Ed trailed off, his head jerking back over his shoulder as a ruckus came from outside. "Sounds like Al's here. Damn it, I'm useless to him! Winry, go open the front door. Maybe if I can see what's happening, I can help him."

Winry's face darkened, her emotions mixing there. "Or we could use the time Al's buying us to get you to the sled."

"Winry, I can't leave my brother." Shock that she had even suggested it played over his face.

"Dance's gun isn't going to hurt Al. It'll kill us," she pointed out, exasperated.

The door banged open before Ed could fire off his indignant response. Al came in, dragging Dance by her heels. "She tried to shoot me!" Al took a step back, seeing the gutted, hanging man. "That person is..." He pointed frantically to the flayed man.

"They tried to do that to Edward," Winry said, more furious than the brothers had ever heard her. "We need to make sure Dance isn't going to get in our way again. She's involved in this."

"Put her down, Al. We can use the shackles," Ed said, pointing to them, his metal fingers flopping wildly. He took a hobbling step away from Winry, trying to look strong.

"Brother, what happened to you?" Al said, laying Dance down where Ed had been fettered.

"Leatherby wanted to be sure I couldn't escape." Ed clapped his hand to his broken one and the shackles grew up over Dance's wrists.

"Ed's going to need your help to the sled, Al." Winry looked at Dance. "Will this be okay for her? I don't want her to freeze to death."

"She didn't mind if I did," Ed said bitterly then sighed. "She should be okay. We'll come back for her. We have to handle Leatherby and Sabrin first."

"I don't understand what's going on," Al said plaintively, taking a step toward his brother, seeing how weak Ed looked but the blond alchemist glared, stopping him.

"The machine we were sent to find out more about isn't a machine. It's probably an alembic array," Ed replied, his body trembling as fatigue overtook him.

"They're trying to make a Philosopher's Stone," Al said, somewhere between excited and afraid.

"No, the White Stone," Ed corrected, weaving a little on his feet. Al reached out and steadied his brother.

"The what?" Winry's face scrunched up.

"The elixir of immortality," Al supplied, letting Ed lean on him.

"They're putting their failures into the meat grinder and baking them into the meat pies to hide their crimes," Ed ground out, his face green.

"Ed, quit saying that," Winry snapped, her cheeks draining of color.

"They fed us a human being," Ed growled. "Probably him." He gestured at the flayed man.

Gagging, Winry put a hand over her mouth, trying to control her stomach. Finally, she dropped her hand and said, "Al, take him to the sled. We have to get back. They hurt Halia. Sabrin and Leatherby might try to kill her now. Ed needs more caring for and Ed, no more about the damn pies. I can't function if I'm about to puke!"

"Come on, Brother. Winry's right. We have to stop them." Al scooped Ed up unceremoniously, ignoring his brother's flailing limbs. A dull thud on the sawdusted floor abruptly stopped Ed's tantrum.

"Was that another finger?" Winry's tone raised the temperature of the room several degrees as she hunted for the broken digit.

"Get me out of here, Al. I...this is so embarrassing." Ed covered his face with his living hand.

"He needs you to take him behind a tree, Al," Winry said with all the clinical coolness of a doctor and Ed nearly oozed out of Al's grip, red faced.

Al's helmet swiveled between her and his brother. "What...oh? Okay, brother."

"I can do this on my own," Ed grumped as Al carried him outside.

"You take care of your business while I see if Tyler can drive our sled. I'll take Dance's because all three of us can't go on one sled." Winry went outside, heading away from the brothers. She shielded her eyes against the bright afternoon sun.

"Good, do that," Ed said as Al carried him behind a pine.

Winry looked over Dance's sled, happy to see the key in it. "Tyler! It's Winry, can you bring the sled around?" She waved her had in the air.

Her answer was the sounds of an engine starting and the boy's appearance on the sled. The boy looked frozen, his cheeks brilliantly red. "Is it over?"

"Almost. You're going to have to go by yourself, Tyler. My friend has been hurt and I have to drive him," Winry replied, trying to remain cheery for the boy's sake. "Why don't you drive fast, Tyler? I won't be able to because Ed can't hold on well with one arm. I want you away from this place. Go home, stop for no one, especially Sheriff Leatherby. We'll come check on you later to be sure you're safe."

"Okay." Tyler took off without further prompting. The snow spat into the air as the sled plowed through it.

Over the rapidly diminishing whine of the sled, Winry heard, "Winry, Ed's very pale and shaking." Al sounded frantic.

Winry ran over to where Ed was supporting himself against the tree, steam curling up from the snow at his feet. Sweat coated his face. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, concern slipping into her tone. "Concussion catching up with you, Ed?"

"Yeah. Feel like I'm going to be sick." Ed trembled, his lips the color of old liver. Al helped him to the sled with Winry in their wake.

"Al, help him to the sled. Ed, all you need to do is hold on to me," Winry said, securing the gun to the side of the sled.

"Doesn't sound bad." He managed a weak smile. Winry got on the sled and Al helped settle Ed behind her. Ed crooked both arms around her waist, leaning his forehead against her soft hair. "I'll try not to throw up on you."

"I'd appreciate it." She smiled gently over her shoulder. "Hold on as tight as you can, Ed. If you really start to get sick, let me know." Winry turned over the engine.

Ed shut his eyes and buried his face in her hair. Fear scent clung to her but underlying it should have been Winry's usual sweet scent. Two days of not being able to bathe had left a mark. Ed didn't care. This was Winry and she was taking him home. Behind him, loping along as fast as he could make his armored form go, was his brother. They were all alive and they were safe for the moment. No one was going to make him into a meat pie.

Ed wanted to give in to his pain. His concussion reached up to fully claim him now that he allowed himself to rest a little. Ed didn't know how he would make it all the way home. His mouth started filling with saliva, a salty taste tickling at the back of his throat. Squeezing Winry hard, Ed yelled, "Winry, stop!"

Winry cut the engine. "What, Ed?"

Ed couldn't answer, twisting on the seat, nearly falling off. What was left in his stomach emptied, bile staining the snow green-black. He felt Winry's hands on him, holding him as he vomited. When he finished, his eyes ran and his nose dripped. He wiped them absently on his sleeve. "Sorry."

"It's all right, Ed." Winry's hands probed his head. "You have a lot of bumps and bangs on your poor head. You have to feel horrible. We're almost back to town. You just have to hang on for a little while longer."

"I just want to go to sleep and pretend none of this happened," he groaned, wincing at her touch.

She sighed gustily. "I know what you mean."

"Ed, Winry!" Al pointed as he caught up to them.

They followed his large hand to the sled rocketing at them. Leatherby was on his way back to presumably cut off Ed's fingers. Al didn't wait for Ed to give an order. They could see the curse words forming on Leatherby's lips as he spun his sled around. Al knocked him off the sled, clotheslining him with a stiff arm.

Winry flinched, not used to seeing Al so violent. She got her gun and leveled it on the sheriff as he tried to roll to his feet. Ed tipped himself off the sled on the opposite side to where he vomited. He slapped his hand to the ground. "Clear a space, Al!"

Al leapt back from where he tussled with the man. Ed concentrated, making rocks and roots spring from the frozen ground, trapping the sheriff in an earthen cage.

"You son of a bitch!" Leatherby snarled, trying to wrestle the bars apart.

"You can call me that? You, who were coming to cut me into bits?" Ed yelled back, using the sled to pull himself up.

"Winry, can you get Ed back on the sled?" Al asked.

Winry's hand shook, the gun muzzle trembling. She wanted to shoot the sheriff badly. Instead she put the gun away and helped haul Ed back up.

Al punched Leatherby, dropping him against the side of his cage. The sheriff didn't get up. "Just in case," he said. "We need to get back and Ed has to alert the military. They'll need to send soldiers to help clean up this mess."

Ed nodded wearily, sagging against Winry. "Good thinking, Al."

"We won't be able to wait until they get here to handle Sabrin. She's the alchemist, the one behind it all," Winry pointed out, turning the sled on.

"Al and I will have to handle her," Ed said, shutting his eyes. It was the only way to cure the double vision that started when he toppled off the sled.

"You're in no condition to do anything, Ed," Winry reminded him.

"This time he'll have to let his little brother handle things," Al said acerbically.

Ed didn't argue as Winry started towards the town. Maybe by the time they reached it, he'd have a plan to keep Winry and his brother safe.


	8. From bad to Worse

1Chapter Eight

"I don't know where to take you, Ed," Winry said as she cut the sled's engine at the edge of town. Alphonse wasn't far behind them. She hadn't been able to go too fast since Ed's grip on her had weakened as they'd traveled.

Ed wearily lifted his throbbing head from where it had been resting on her shoulder. "We have to stop Sabrin."

"And you have a bad concussion and two limbs ready to fall off," Winry reminded him sharply. "You're in no condition to fight. I could take you to our house but Sabrin might have a crony waiting and there isn't a phone.

"Phone?" Ed's brow knit. "Oh...yeah, we should call Hughes or Colonel Shit because at least part of the military was involved here."

"Yes , Brother," Al said, catching up with them. "Last time with Yoki, when we handled it ourselves, the Colonel got mad you."

"I know, follow proper procedures." Ed sighed.

"Let's go to the clinic. They'll have taken care of Halia there and I'd like to check on her, too," Winry said. "And there's a phone. I doubt Leatherby and the others will try to go back to the clinic in the daylight when there are a lot of people around. Besides, we have to take care of you, Ed. You're a mess."

He smiled wanly. "Sounds like a plan but we still have to deal with Sabrin."

"Leave that to me," Alphonse said, sounding too grim for a man so young.

"No Al, you can't," Ed protested, trying to move but he couldn't.

"Brother, I can do this," Al insisted.

"I...okay, but first I'll need your help to get into the clinic, Al. All my strength is gone," Ed said, thinking frantically, trying to come up with a better plan than letting his little brother go into battle for him. Maybe if Al thought Ed was too weak to move, he could sneak off.

"Of course, Brother."

Winry drove them into town. Ed swallowed his pride and let Al carry him into the clinic. Ed really did feel horrible but he wasn't about to let that stop him. The clinic bustled with Halia's nurses, frantic over their injured boss and the fact that they couldn't find Sheriff Leatherby or Lieutenant Dance to report the attack to; little did they know. Al stowed Ed on top of an exam table.

"Al, think there's enough phone line to get a phone into here so I can talk to Hughes?" Ed hoped the answer was no so he could sneak out while Al went to make a call.

"I don't think so," Al said, looking around for a phone. "I'll call Mr. Hughes and the Colonel for you."

"Thanks, Al." Ed watched his brother head for Halia's office. Now he had to get rid of Winry. "Winry, why don't you check on Halia?"

Winry bobbed her head. "I will after I take care of you."

Ed gritted his teeth to swallow back his 'damn' and submitted to her care. Winry's touch was surprisingly gentle as she cleansed his wounds. His strength was beginning to fail him so he wished she'd hurry. Ed clapped his hand to what was left of the metal hand and fused his battered leg into one solid mass.

Winry wrinkled her nose at the further alteration of her work. "What was that for?"

"In case I have to use the restroom again. It's embarrassing having to be helped," Ed said with complete honesty. "At least now I don't have to worry about my leg snapping in two."

"Good thought," she said, continuing to bandage him up.

Ed wished she'd hurry so he'd have time to escape before Al came back or his strength utterly deserted him. He didn't get his wish.

"Brother, I spoke to the Colonel," Al said excitedly. "He's sending troops immediately from the nearest town possible and he's coming with Major Armstrong."

"Oh, hell no! Al, how could you let him do that!" Ed growled, trying to think of anything worse than Mustang showing up and he couldn't.

"I don't see how I could stop him," Al replied tartly.

"What's wrong?" Winry paused in her nursing to look at the brothers. "It's a good thing two more alchemists are coming, isn't it?"

"No." Ed sighed. He could picture Mustang's smug face. "Mustang will take one look at me and gloat."

"No, he won't, Brother. He sounded very concerned," Al replied, placatingly.

"I'm sure he is. There!" Winry gave Ed a satisfied look. "I think I finally have you all bandaged up."

"Thanks, Winry." Ed touched his throbbing head. "Why don't you check on Halia? I'll be fine."

"Okay. You lie still and I'll be right back," Winry said, gently patting his arm, then headed off to another clinic room to check on the battered doctor.

Ed made a face then held his stomach. Al put a hand on his shoulder. "Brother, Are you all right?"

"No, I'm really queasy. I should have asked Winry for some ginger tea before she left. I'm sure Halia has to have some." Ed looked up at his brother, hoping nothing but sincerity was showing in his eyes. "Al, could you ask Winry where it might be and make me some?"

"Of course, Brother. It won't take long." Al sounded relieved to be able to help.

"Thanks, Al." Ed waited until he couldn't hear Al clanking then swung off the exam table. His flesh leg felt wobbly and his stomach lurched. Ed left a thin stream of bile trickling down the porcelain exam room sink before making his escape.

It hurt his back trying to swing his frozen leg but determination prodded Ed on. He couldn't allow his kid brother to face the danger Sabrin represented. It was his fault they were here. Ed had to protect Winry and Al. He couldn't wait for Mustang's reinforcements. Sabrin could escape anywhere in the world and start all over again and that was unacceptable.

Luckily the Dew Drop Inn was only a few blocks away. Ed skidded on the ice twice. That would be all he needed, a fall to break one of his living bones. Opening the door to the tavern, he was surprised to see Sabrin behind the bar as if nothing unusual had happened. Ed remembered she thought Leatherby had cut him into meat pies by now. Sabrin's face darkened when she saw him and Ed was glad the inn was empty.

"If you're here, I'll assume you've already taken care of Leatherby and Dance." Sabrin sighed. "If you were going to live long enough to use words of wisdom, I'd tell you to be careful not to partner with idiots."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ed lifted his arm to clap, hearing the servos whining in protest. It wouldn't much longer before the automail gave way entirely.

Sabrin's hand slapped against the bar and the wood shot out at him like mad thorns. Ed could barely dodge. His locked leg didn't respond like he expected, pitching him to the floor. Fire shot through his abused hip. The breath whooshed out of him. "What a pity, there you are on a wooden floor, my realm." Her hand hit the bar again and spikes shot up from the floor. Ed rolled, the twisted flooring nearly hitting his vitals. She had to have an array carved on the back of her bar.

"Damn it," he hissed, the spikes having impaled him through the shoulder and thigh, luckily the automail versions of them. "Winry is going to kill me for this."

Sabrin leaned over the bar, grinning at him. "You won't have to worry about it. You're caught like a fox in a trap. All I have to do is finish you and skin you out." She leered as her hand reached for her array.

Swallowing hard, Ed tried to get his hands together, knowing he wouldn't be fast enough.


	9. Resolutions

1Chapter Nine

"Al, where did you move Ed to?" Winry asked, finding the young man in the small kitchen Halia kept for the staff to have snacks and for heating medicines.

Al's armor clanked loudly as he whipped around. "Nowhere. Don't tell me he's gone!"

"Why did you leave him alone?" Fury and panic warred on her face.

"He said he was queasy and wanted ginger tea." Al slammed a hand against the stove, showing more frustration than Winry was used to seeing from him. "He was getting rid of me."

'The Dew Drop Inn!" Winry snarled. "I'm going to kill him."

The way Al stomped out the door suggested to Winry that she would have to stand in line to kill Ed. I '_Provided Sabrin hadn't beaten us to it /I _,' she thought miserably then shoved the thought out of her head. Ed was tough and she knew it.

"Winry, stay back," Al ordered as he ran down the street.

"No way. I'll be all right," she said and to his credit, Al didn't waste time arguing with her like Ed would have.

Her heart stopped as Al barreled his way into the Dew Drop and she followed on his heels. Stopped dead, she was sure of it, her heart hurt so much. Pinned to the floor, Ed resembled an exotic butterfly on display and Sabrin was gloating about how she was going to shape the killing stake slowly so he'd feel every centimeter of it.

"No!" Al bellowed. It was enough to startle Sabrin. Al crossed the room in a flash and batted Sabrin away from her bar.

Winry ran over and tried to pull Ed off the spikes impaling him.

"Winry, get out of here!" Ed screamed at her.

"I already want to kick you for trying this alone. Don't give me more reason to." Winry scowled at him, shaking a fist. "Ed, this is a mess."

"Could be worse, could have gone through flesh," Ed said pragmatically then Sabrin screamed.

The teens looked over to see Sabrin caged within rock and wood pulled from her inn by Al's alchemy. Within a hairsbreadth of the ceiling, Sabrin rattled her cage, hurling obscenities at the brothers and Winry.

"Can you free him, Winry?" Al came over to see to his brother.

"I'll need help." Winry scrubbed a hand over her face, trying to ease the intense emotional stress out of her muscles. "Ed, can you move any part of your automail?"

Ed managed to wiggle what was left of his fingers and moved his ankle. "You make the best automail, Winry."

Winry's smile practically glowed. "Give me a hand, Al."

Together they got Ed off the spikes and Al scooped him brother up, cradling him against his expansive metal chest.

"This isn't over, you runt," Sabrin taunted, yanking at the bars.

"Who are you calling so small-" Ed's rant was cut short as Al's big hand clamped over his brother's mouth. Ed's eyes nearly spun like angry suns.

"You have no idea how important I am to certain people. They'll never stand for this," Sabrin said venomously.

"You killed how many people?" Winry asked. "I think it's the people who won't stand for you. Al, let's get Ed back to the clinic. Ed, you might need to talk to whoever worked for Leatherby or Dance. We'll talk to Clare. She might know who we can trust to put these three in jail until the military gets here." Winry purposely turned her back on Sabrin, steering Al for the door.

"We'll have to get Leatherby and Dance into the jail before night fall or they'll freeze to death," Al put in, his usual worry for his fellow man sneaking into his voice.

Ed just nodded wearily, his injuries catching up to him. "I'll deal with it."

Al carried him outside and Winry shut the door on Sabrin's ravings. Winry glanced over at the brothers. "Take him, Al. I'll have to stay here to make sure no well meaning towns person sets Sabrin free."

"We can't leave Winry here alone," Ed protested, slapping his flesh hand against his brother's chest.

"You won't, son."

The teens swiveled around to see a few men heading their way. Tyler was with the bearded man who had spoke.

"This is my dad, Winry," Tyler said, holding the beared man's hand as he waved wildy to Winry.. "I told him all about it."

"You're a good boy, Tyler," Winry smiled at the boy and Tyler beamed at her praise.

"We'll make sure Sabrin stays put," Tyler's father said. "You go with your friends, young lady and take care of them."

"We left Leatherby and Dance in the woods. We have to go back and get them," Ed said, almost sounding as if he didn't care if they froze. "They're a part of this."

"We'll take care of that ourselves," another man called over the sounds of the gathering, angry crowd. "Just tell us where to find them."

"I'll take you there," Al said. "Just let me get my brother to the clinic."

"You do that and thank you for helping us with these monsters," Tyler's dad said, relief evident in his eyes.

"We were glad to do it," Al said then carried Ed toward the clinic.

"At least it's over," Ed said wearily, shuddering a little in his brother's arms. This was so embarrassing, to be carried like a child.

"You do anything like this again, Brother, and I'll…I don't know what I'll do," Al fumed. "You knew you couldn't do this on your own. I'm so mad I could leave you in a snow bank."

"Sorry, Al," Ed said, looking as contrite as he sounded.

"You should be," Winry scolded, then ran ahead to open the door to the clinic for Al.

Once he held Ed up so his brother could make another call to headquarters, Al put Ed on an exam table and went to lead the townspeople to round up the killers. Winry fussed over Ed, examining the new damage to his automail.

"That was stupid, Ed. You were in no condition to fight Sabrin," she said, peering into the hole in his metal leg..

"Someone had to stop her before she disappeared," Ed said in his defense, wiggling on the table

"And Al proved he was more than capable of handling it," Winry retorted, clamping Ed down with a firm hand.

Ed looked away. "He shouldn't have had to."

"You need to trust us, Edward," she said and his gaze snapped back over to her.

"It's not a matter of trust," he whispered.

Winry scowled at him. "Then what?"

Ed sighed. "I'm very tired, Winry. I made a mistake."

"At least you admit it," Winry said softly then leaned over him. She brushed her lips over his. Ed startled. Winry deepened the kiss, feeling him beginning to melt against her. She stood back up, smiling. "That was nice."

Ed smiled back then sighed quietly. His eyes fluttered shut and when they didn't open back up Winry realized he had slipped away into slumber. Beaming, Winry covered him up gently then kissed his forehead.

"You rest now, Edward. I'll look out for you." Sitting on the doctor's stool, Winry studied Ed's battered body. Silent tears streaked her face as the fear at how close she came to losing him set in.

XXX

Ed stretched, slowly coming awake. He felt like one solid bruise and the swaying of the car didn't help matters. For a moment he was confused, then Ed remembered being bundled onto the train by his brother in the middle of the night. Smacking his lips, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, realize he wasn't alone in their private train cabin. He didn't know where Al and Winry were but he suspected the other occupant had asked them to go. He also wasn't surprised to see Hawkeye sitting near the door to the cabin, watchful as ever. Ed barely recognized her without her uniform and her hair down. She was prettier than he had realized.

Mustang sat across from him, reading the newspaper. He folded it aside, seeing Ed was awake. Ed wasn't used to seeing his commanding officer out of uniform. Even without his uniform on, Ed suspected Mustang attracted attention. It didn't escape even Ed's stunted fashion sense, that Mustang's smartly tailored black suit and deep blue shirt would catch the eye. Who was Mustang trying to impress? Surely it wasn't him. "Sleep well, Fullmetal?"

"What are you doing here?" Ed asked, wanting more to head for the rest room and maybe the dining car than to talk to the bastard Colonel.

"I came into town yesterday but Miss Rockbell said you slept through most of the day. Are you feeling any better?" Mustang looked honestly concerned.

Ed touched his forehead. His headache wasn't so bad today. "A little."

"You did a good job in Waukrio," Mustang said, his concerned expression not fading. "If I had any idea something like that was going on, I wouldn't have sent you alone with just your brother and your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Ed replied, hotly, his cheeks rouging.

Mustang's onyx eyes slotted. "Are you sure?" At Ed's glare, he added, "More the fool, you then. Well, at any rate, you did very well, even if you managed to damage yourself pretty badly."

"I'm just glad Winry and Al weren't hurt," Ed said, his whole body unwinding with relief. He couldn't think about what had nearly happened. He couldn't lose Winry or Al like that.

"Yes, about that, Edward, can I give you some advice?"

"Doubt I could stop you," Ed grumbled, bracing himself for another boring Mustang lecture.

"Miss Rockbell told me what you did with Sabrin. That was foolish and you know it," Mustang said critically. "While I admire your desire to protect your brother and your friend, no man is an island unto himself. We all need help and we need to understand that those important to us can help. More importantly, they need to assist any way they can. Sometimes we have to put aside our instinct to keep them locked away like precious treasures and trust in their abilities to help us, even if it's hard to set aside those protective feelings."

Ed didn't miss how Mustang's eyes cut back towards Hawkeye when he said that. "I don't know."

"I suggest you learn. Sometimes that instinct is more hurtful than harmful. Believe me, I know about putting feelings aside for the greater good and how difficult it is." His black eyes flicked back to Hawkeye again.

Ed just sighed. Let Mustang think he was getting through or the lecture might go on all day. "Yesterday is hazy to me. Did I ever wake up long enough to tell you that Sabrin seemed confidant that important people would free her?"

"No, you did, however, tell me about your favorite stuffed toy, some horse called Thunder and then you raved about the goodness of stew." Mustang smirked as Ed gaped, a blush mantling his cheeks. "Winry said it was the concussion talking."

"Damn it," Ed sputtered.

"Alphonse told me about Sabrin. Here." Mustang handed Ed the newspaper.

Ed glanced down at it and saw one of the headlines. His lips pulled down as he read about how there was a mysterious fire at the jail and how Sabrin and the others couldn't be rescued in time. It was assumed that the first was set as an act of revenge by irate families of victims of the Waukrio trio. "Was this your doing?"

"What makes you think that?" Mustang scowled. "They served their victims to their own relatives as meat pies, I think the town was due a little justice. It's for the best that way. We couldn't risk someone thinking Sabrin's line of research was worth exploring." There was a darkness in the alchemist's eyes that chilled Edward and he was more sure than ever that Mustang had set the fire.

"True." Ed tried to maneuver so he could get his nonfunctioning leg under him. "Excuse me. I have to go…you know." His cheeks colored. This was so embarrassing and to have the bastard witness his clumsiness and his basic human needs. Ed couldn't get enough leverage against the cushioned seat to stand up.

Mustang got up and slid an arm around Ed, helping the boy to his feet. Ed could feel Roy's shoulder holster digging into him, surprised by that. He hadn't realized Mustang carried a gun and even more surprised that the suit was tailored so well that he couldn't see the bulge of it under the older man's arm. "There you go. Can you make it on your own or would you like Hawkeye to fetch Alphonse for you?"

"I can do it," Ed said, hoping that was true. He could hang onto the seats to move in the aisle but moving from car to car would be tricky. "I was out of it when we boarded. Where are we going?"

"Resembool so you can get fixed up. Hawkeye and I will see you all safely there. I trust Miss Rockbell can keep you out of trouble once she gets you home," Mustang said, a smirk emblazoning across his face.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Winry said, coming into the car with a tea service tray in her hands, Alphonse behind her. "Where do you think you're going, Ed?"

"To the lavatory car," Ed said, swaying into Mustang as the train went around a bend.

"Here, Brother, I'll make sure you don't fall," Al said, reaching for him.

Ed let his brother keep a hand on his shoulders to steady him.

"Don't forget what I said, Edward," Mustang said as Winry sat down in Ed's vacated seat. Hawkeye sat next to Mustang and started fixing tea. Ed assumed it was for the colonel.

"I won't," Ed said, too weary to keep his attitude up. He staggered toward the door.

"I have your riding quirt done, Miss Hawkeye," Winry said, over her tea. "It's in my bag."

Ed gazed back just to steal a look at Winry and caught the exchange of glances between Mustang and Hawkeye. If Winry ever found out what that quirt was for, he didn't want to know. He studied her briefly then started hobbling again. Maybe Mustang had a point but Ed just didn't know how to not be overprotective of Winry. He cared so much for her. If life was different maybe she really would be his girlfriends and Ed like the idea of that.

"What did the colonel say, Brother?" Al helped Ed onto the platform and into the next car.

"Just said we did a good job, all of us as a team," Ed replied. "He reminded me how much I need you and Winry."

Al contemplated that for a moment. "That's good."

Ed looked up at his brother and smiled as he thumped Al's back. "Yes, it's very good." It might kill him to admit Mustang was right, but Ed had no choice. He really was a better man for having Alphonse and Winry in his life. He wouldn't know what to do without them and for now, he was content to put himself in their capable hands. When he was fixed up, he'd pick up the mantle of protector again. Things would be as they should be; of that Ed was confident.

FINIS


End file.
